Dawn to Dusk 2: Sunrise
by dantsolo
Summary: In this sequel to Dawn to Dusk, Han and Leia meet up three years later during the events of ANH. Sharing a history, having had feelings for each other in the past, changes the dynamic of the original star wars trilogy. Are they still fated to be together? Will this change the events of the trilogy? Read on to find out...
1. Chapter 1

Here I am! First, I would like to say thank you to those who have written reviews and sent me PMs to say you miss me, ask when I will be back, and specifically about this sequel to Dawn to Dusk. I hadn't planned to start posting again, but you guys have guilted me into it lol. That said, I am still really busy and I have to edit each chapter before I post it. I have edited the first chapter, but I don't have a lot of time, so I will not be able to update as often as I usually do. I apologize for that and would appreciate your patience.

So, here is the sequel to Dawn to Dusk. It begins during ANH, 3 years after Dawn to Dusk. Thank you everyone for reading!

Dawn to Dusk 2:

Sunrise

by Dant Solo

Staring out at the swirling emptiness of hyperspace, Han Solo was flooded with memories of their destination. With these memories, came a swell of forgotten feelings inspired by a girl for whom his age had been far too high and his station in life had been far too low.

The last and only time he visited Alderaan, he had been bombarded with a plethora of emotions he had never felt before. Over the past three years, he had tried to forget her. More often than not, he was successful. But, sometimes, late at night, when his thoughts drifted aimlessly before succumbing to sleep, her smile would flicker in his mind, brightening the darkness as she had temporarily brightened his life. No one had ever had such an effect on him. And no one had stuck in his mind quite like she had.

How old must she be now? Nineteen? Not too young anymore, but still a princess, still far out of his league. He was quite certain that any girlhood crush she may have had on him was a distant memory she could barely recall. He probably never entered her mind.

Now, he was returning to Alderaan to deliver the boy, the old man, and their droids. Judging by the harrowed departure from Tatooine, he had probably made a mistake. Oh well, too late now.

His chances of running into the princess were slim-to-none, but he couldn't keep the thought from running rampant through his mind. How likely was it that she would be slumming at the spaceport? He smiled grimly at the ridiculousness of his thoughts. Wherever the old man needed to go to collect Han's 15,000 credits, he doubted it would be anywhere near the Royal Palace. And, by now, she might even be a senator, as she intended. She could be on Coruscant, or anywhere else, right now, for all he knew.

Come to think of it, he could look her up on the holonet and find out. It had never occurred to him before. Maybe after this trip he would do just that.

On the other hand, maybe not. Did he really need a visual reminder of the only female to ever affect him to the point of sheer distraction? No, best not to stir all that up again. Journeying to Alderaan was enough to taunt him with memories of what might have been.

He had to put her out of his mind, before he went out of his mind. Enough reminiscing. He should go see what the old man and the boy were up to, so they could show him gratitude for safely escaping the Imperials. At least he had shown them that their credits were being well-spent.

###

Hidden and still inside the Falcon's smuggling compartments, Han spit Wookiee fur out of his mouth and turned his head in the other direction. It was stifling and cramped and the only thing distracting him from his discomfort was the awestruck wonder left in the wake of Alderaan's destruction.

An entire planet. The Empire had destroyed an _entire planet!_ All those people…had Princess Leia been on-planet? Her father, the Viceroy? Her mother? It was unreal. Somehow, the thought of her floating amongst the space-debris of Alderaan made him shudder. He had seen a lot of death in his time, and not much moved him anymore. But, the thought of that young woman, so full of spark and fire, ready to take on the galaxy…the thought of her light being extinguished…it filled him with a hollow feeling of loss. That emptiness felt somehow familiar, as if it were a link to a distant strand of memory that he couldn't quite grasp. He let it dangle and drift off into the recesses of his mind, refusing to remember.

In the darkness, he saw her smile, her real, genuine smile that was reserved for those closest to her. The way her eyes brightened and twinkled; how her cheeks, with a rosy blush and still rounded with youth, widened and framed a radiant smile that instantly sparked his own. He could see it now, more clearly than he had in a long time.

Hopefully, she had been off-planet. The alternative was unthinkable.


	2. Chapter 2 Reunion

Thank you all so much for the warm welcome back! :) I am home today because my daughter is sick so I had some extra time to edit the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy it and thank you again!

###

Princess Leia Organa, abruptly orphaned, lay silently and sorrowfully on the hard, cold slab that the Empire allowed as a bed for prisoners of the detention block on the Death Star. She felt dazed. The feeling of numbness was welcome, though, for the alternative would give Tarkin and Vader far too much satisfaction. Her loss was too all-encompassing to contemplate.

And if she started crying, she might never stop.

No, this was not the time to fall into a pit of despair. She needed to stay sharp and alert, not wallow in pity. The situation was much bigger than the sum of her losses.

There did not seem to be much hope for escape, but Leia was not willing to give up so easily. She would fight until her dying breath. Which, unfortunately, might come sooner than expected. Her termination had been scheduled. She would remain vigilant for any opportunity to escape. If that was impossible, then she would settle for taking as many Imperials with her as she could.

She had not been raised to accept defeat. Her father and mother…

 _No. Not now,_ she reiterated to herself. There would be time later. And if it turned out that there was no time…well, she hoped there was an afterlife in which that would no longer matter. And if there wasn't…well, Leia guessed it wouldn't matter then either.

The torture had stopped immediately before she had been brought before Tarkin on the observation deck. It had taken a toll on her body, mind, and spirit. She could tell that she had surprised Vader. That monster had been so certain that he could break her. Between the mind-control drugs and that penetrating probe into her thoughts, he almost had. It was so strange and startling how she _knew_ that he had invaded her mind. Instinctively, she had cut off all thoughts, had somehow managed to raise a barrier that made it impossible for him to extract the location of the Rebel base. She had been almost as startled by it as he. And in that moment, somehow, she had _felt_ his shock and outrage. How that was possible, Leia didn't know. Clearly, Vader had been using the Force, but it was stupefying that Leia could actually _feel_ it happening.

Now, she was left with nothing but her thoughts. She steeled herself into numbness and thought of nothing but various scenarios in which she could destroy Tarkin, or Vader, or this entire abomination of a space station. She would be more than happy to blow up along with them all, a triumphant smile broadening her face as it lit into oblivion.

The door to her cell opened suddenly, and a lone Stormtrooper stood, head cocked to one side. Never one to be intimidated, Leia sat up slightly, one knee raised.

"Aren't you a little short for a Stormtrooper?" she asked with casual sarcasm.

"Huh?" he answered dumbly.

Leia wondered where they were finding their recruits these days.

"Oh, the uniform," he said in a filtered, tinny voice.

He surprised her by reaching up to pull the helmet from his head. What was he doing?

Underneath the blank anonymity of the helmet, pure, blue eyes stared at her with an earnest expression as he clasped the helmet in one hand. "I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you."

Leia sat up straighter, utterly confused. "You're who?"

"I'm here to rescue you, I've got your R2 unit, I'm here with Ben Kenobi!"

Her senses came to instant attention. "Ben Kenobi? Where is he?"

"Come on!" the blond stranger called, beckoning her from the cell.

She was at his side in a rush and they flew from the cell and ran down the corridor towards an oncoming duo. One was a human dressed in Stormtrooper armor, minus the helmet. The other was a Wookiee. As they nearly collided at the corridor's midpoint, blaster fire whizzing around them, Leia flew to her left, behind the young, blond man, while his two companions crowded to the right.

"Can't get out that way," said a deep voice that sparked a faint familiarity.

She glanced in the owner's direction and was dumbstruck for just an instant. Her mind reeled in that moment before she regained her much-needed composure. It couldn't be. "Looks like you managed to cut off our only escape route," she observed, trying to refocus.

More fire rained between them and the blond man pulled out a commlink. He began yelling over the noise to someone at the other end. There had to be a way out of this.

Lowering the comlink, the young man informed them that there was no other way out.

"I can't hold them off forever. Now what?"

Was that really him? "This is some rescue. When you came in here, didn't you have a plan for getting out?"

Now, their eyes met through the laser fire and it _was_ him, there was no doubt. All she could read in his eyes was frustration. What was he doing here?!

"He's the brains, Sweetheart!" He pointed to the man in front of her.

"Well, I didn't—" the young man began.

Struck by sudden inspiration, Leia ripped the blast rifle from his grasp, turned, and blasted a hole in the panel next to the Corellian pilot. It was the only way.

He jumped at the blast that struck uncomfortably close. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Somebody has to save our skins," she yelled back. "Into the garbage chute, Flyboy!" She tossed the weapon back to the blond man and jumped into the freshly-blasted hole.

###

Relief and frustration twisted his insides as Han watched Leia hop effortlessly into the large, charred opening that gaped at him from the bulkhead. Pushing aside feelings he had no time to examine, he gestured Chewie to follow her down the hole.

The Wookiee sniffed and shook his head, expression deeply hesitant.

Han had no time for this nonsense. "Get in there, you big furry oaf!" he shouted. "I don't care what you smell! Get in there and don't worry about it!"

With a grimace, Chewie pushed his bulk into the opening and Han gave him a swift kick for good measure, just in case he changed his mind. The Wookiee disappeared with a howl.

Still trading fire with the stormtroopers, Han and Luke made their way to the hole and the Corellian gestured with a cock of his head for the younger man to precede him as he continued to hold off the Imperials. Once the kid was gone, it was his turn and Han could do no less than to follow the Princess' lead. She was still the same spirited, young woman he had known, and she had immediately shown him just how capable she had grown to be. With a joyful, Corellian battle cry, he hurled himself into the opening, allowing himself a moment to rejoice in the fact that Leia was indeed alive.

###

Suddenly alone in the cockpit, neither seemed to know what to say. Han watched her stare down at her hands, expressionless. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her features had matured; she was more woman than girl, in spite of the fact that she remained almost as fresh-faced as she had been three years ago.

Leia was even braver than he would have predicted. Captured by Darth Vader, surely she must have been tortured. Her entire life had been destroyed by that space station. And yet, here she sat, as if this hadn't been the worst day of her life. Quick, clever, and courageous, she had saved them all from their poorly thought out plan. Han had thought she had doomed them, but in the end, it had been the only possible way out. He was even more impressed by her than he could have imagined.

"Are you all right?" he asked quietly, realizing it was probably a stupid question.

She nodded, eyes cast downwards.

He hesitated, afraid to ask the next question. "Your parents…?" he asked softly, unable to complete the sentence.

Leia's features grew sorrowful and she kept her eyes averted but her head shook back and forth slowly, mournfully.

Han's stomach dipped and he struggled for words. What could he possibly say? The image of Bail Organa popped into his mind, serious but kind, smiling at his daughter's sharp attitude while remaining firm. Her mother, a small, sweet, dignified woman.

She turned to gaze askance at him, interrupting his reverie. "What are you doing here?" And just like that, the misery had fled her visage, leaving her somber and confused. She almost sounded accusatory.

"The old man hired me to bring him and the droids to Alderaan." A pang of regret hit him as her gaze returned to her hands. "I'm sorry, Leia. About…all of it." Had words ever been so unable to express what he felt? He wasn't one to talk about his feelings, and now was no different.

She looked sad again, but not nearly what he would have expected of someone who had, literally, just lost her world. He knew that she felt things very deeply. And he also knew that she was an expert at covering up her emotions.

"Thank you," she said quietly, unmoving.

He wanted to say more but couldn't fathom where to begin. After a few moments of silence, he spoke again. "What's that droid carrying?"

Her head rose and her solemnity was replaced with a determination that was distantly familiar to him. "The technical readout for that battle station. I only hope that when the data is analyzed, a weakness can be found. It's not over yet!"

She was crazy to think she could make a dent in the Empire's armor. He couldn't humor her with encouragement, yet he couldn't bring himself to argue either. "How long have you been a part of the Rebellion?"

"Officially?" She was starting to sound more like herself.

Uncertain of what she meant, he nodded.

"I became thoroughly involved with the Rebellion as a spy when I became a Senator just over a year ago. But, I was involved in my father's engagement with the Alliance for far longer." She stated this as if it were a written monologue that she repeated as needed.

His mind waded through this information. "Even back when…" He paused, trying to gather words to define their past. "When we knew each other?"

Emotion tainted her eyes again, but he wasn't sure what she might be thinking or feeling. "Yes," she replied softly.

He faced the viewport without seeing it. All that time they had spent together, and he had known nothing of her secret life. She had talked about her intentions of becoming a senator, changing the government from the inside, making the galaxy a better place. She had held a fortune full of hopes and dreams clutched tightly in her soul and he had never once suspected that she had an actual means of achieving them. He had thought her foolish and naïve, and far too idealistic.

The door to the cockpit swished open and there was Luke, as wide-eyed and buoyant as Leia had been three years ago. She turned and smiled at him, a very different, much easier smile than she gave Han. The few smiles she had graced him with had been laden with confused, convoluted overtones.

"If you'll both excuse me," she said, rising from Chewie's chair and brushing past Luke. The kid watched her go, and Han watched Luke watching her.

Stars were in the younger man's eyes and, although he was growing fond of Luke, he didn't care for his apparent interest in Leia. They made too much sense, far more than Han could ever make with her. They were both young, optimistic, and felt they could change the galaxy. Han had lived a lifetime of harsh reality and knew well enough that they were just dreamers. Real change was an impossible task.

He reminded himself that it was really none of his business. The past was in the past, no matter how beautiful and beckoning it might appear to be. Soon, this too would be just a memory. A bittersweet one, at that.

"So…what do you think of her, Han?" Luke asked, eyes alight.

"I'm trying not to, Kid," Han muttered honestly.

"Good." The smile that curved his lips was infinitely pleased.

Han glanced his way, feeling a sudden need to discourage the younger man's intentions. "Still…" he added thoughtfully. "She's got a lot of spirit. I don't know, what do you think? You think a princess and a guy like me-?"

"No," Luke interjected sharply then quickly moved his eyes to stare grimly at the console in front of him. After a moment of silence, he rose and left the cockpit, jaw tight.

A small part of Han found Luke's jealousy amusing. A larger part understood it all too well.

But, the question he had posed was something Han had thought long and hard about so long ago on Alderaan. It had been the first and only time he felt a small pull towards staying in one place for a woman, before he dismissed it as absurd, a foolish fantasy. She hadn't even been a woman at the time, had been too young for him to pursue. But, there was something about her that had pulled hard at his heart. He couldn't deny that the pull was still there now, after all this time. But, the idea was no less foolish. Best to leave it in the past where it belonged.

Chewie returned to the cockpit, growling assurance that everything was running smoothly before taking his co-pilot's seat.

"Great."

He barked a question.

Han felt his shields raise. "Yeah, it was her," he answered dully. He really wasn't in the mood to discuss Leia.

The big Wookiee bellowed about fated interventions.

Han snorted. "Hardly. Next thing I know you'll tell me the Force had something to do with it."

Chewbacca observed that it was a very odd coincidence that Han had come to rescue a woman whom he had been a bodyguard to three years earlier.

It was a very odd coincidence and Han's mind still reeled with the shock of it. "Lots of coincidences happen."

His furry companion suggested that perhaps it meant something.

Han swiveled his chair to face him, features screwing up and distorting to disbelief. "Oh, c'mon, that's ridiculous."

Chewie disagreed and mentioned the way Han's eyes softened when he looked at the young Princess.

He rolled his eyes. "You're imagining things."

He growled a reminder of how well he knew his Captain.

"I just feel bad for her, is all. She just lost her whole planet."

Chewie guffawed and turned to the instrument panel. Han threw him a dirty look, happy to leave the topic behind.


	3. Chapter 3: Choices

I have forgotten to thank someone who is totally awesome, Sofie C., who beta read this story for me and gave suggestions that made it a better story! Thank you, Sofie C.!

So sorry this has taken longer to post than anticipated. I edited it a couple of times and wanted to give it one more once over but I just gave up, lol. I didn't want to keep you wonderful readers waiting any longer. Hope you like it!

###

Loading his reward onto the Falcon, Han hated the stab of guilt that speared him every time he heard Luke's voice echo in his mind.

 _'_ _Well, take care of yourself, Han. I guess that's what you're best at.'_

As Chewbacca grabbed the last of the totes, things went from bad to worse before he could follow his friend onboard the Falcon. Leia was walking towards him, her stride quick and determined. She was in front of him before he could think of what to say, tight-lipped, eyes accusing.

"Not even going to say good bye?" A glint of anger lit her eyes, making them sparkle with an almost dangerous flash.

Han was not about to admit that he had rejected the prospect of a farewell because the idea had gnawed at his stomach and made the thought of leaving much more difficult. He knew what he had to do. There was no point in hanging around and waiting to get killed. He shrugged slightly. "Thought it might be best this way."

Something in her expression softened and became beseeching. "You're really going to leave at such a drastic time?"

Another, thicker layer of guilt piled onto the one Luke had laid on him. "Ya know, you don't have to stay here," he suggested quietly. He knew exactly how she would respond yet couldn't help himself.

Her head canted to one side thoughtfully and her eyes hardened further. "You know me better than that."

He stepped closer to her and his voice lowered. "Leia, you know what that thing can do, and it's headed here right now. We both know what's going to happen to everything on this moon." He didn't want to mention Alderaan's fate directly, but she had to know this entire venture was doomed.

The anger returned, brighter. "I _don't_ know that. We're fighting for something here that's bigger than either of us. Open your eyes, Han."

"You're willing to die for that? Cause that's what's gonna happen," he growled.

"Yes," she said softly. "I am willing to die for it."

They stared at each other for a long moment and the hangar disappeared while the past and present collided, stirring up more emotions than Han was willing to admit.

"It's a suicide mission," he finally said gravely, all traces of irritation now gone, with only regret knotting his stomach.

"It's a chance we have to take." Her eyes were larger than they had ever seemed before.

She really was a woman now, Han realized, and she was grabbing her dreams and riding them out with the same fervor she'd had as a girl. For just a moment, he ached to be her hero. The feeling passed quickly. This wasn't his fight and making it his would change nothing other than his own future. He smiled at her, sadly.

"I guess you haven't changed much."

Her smile was equally sad. "And I guess you aren't the man I once thought you were."

She spun away and left him standing alone, her words eating at him like a mynock chewing on the power cables of an abandoned vessel. He watched her retreating form grow smaller in the distance. Biting the inside of his lip, he sighed at the torrent of emotions rolling through him, warring with each other for attention he did not want to give them.

There was nothing he could do, not really. If he stuck around, he would be just another casualty of this hopeless endeavor. He wished he could whisk both Leia and Luke off to safety, but they were both too stubbornly idealistic for their own good. He wasn't about to get Chewie killed along with them. The Wookiee had a family to think about.

He told himself the decision had been made, as he headed up the ramp, his feet heavy with the effort.

###

The joyous din faded to the background as Han left to return to his ship. The only reason he had even hung around for this party after the medal ceremony was the possibility of a few moments alone with Leia. Her time had been monopolized all night and then she had disappeared. Now, he just wanted to be alone.

What had he expected? That Leia would fall into his arms and profess her undying love for him? Because of the one selfless deed he had ever done?

He hadn't expected things to be that simple. Hell, he wasn't even sure what it was he wanted from her. He just knew he wanted _something._ Ever since his first sight of her on the Death Star, he had wanted to be near her. To what end, he wasn't certain. His mind buzzed with possibilities, but he refused to examine them too closely.

Han couldn't help but recall that beautiful, dazzling smile she had graced him with before placing the medal around his neck. He had winked at her, never hinting at the way his heart pounded at that exuberant grin. It had set his heart to pounding far too erratically. For a moment, he had been thrown back to three years ago, when things had been simple yet complicated as hell. He hadn't been able to stay, for so many reasons. Now, everything he thought he knew about himself was tainted with a confusing blemish of emotion that he couldn't begin to sort out. And here he was. He had stayed. Now what?

He was halfway across the hangar in just a few long-legged strides when movement to his left caught his eye. When he realized Leia was sitting on the seat of a cargo sled, watching him, he came down too hard on his front leg and jerked to a stop with a twinge in his knee. His heart beat a bit faster at the sight of her in the formal, white gown that accentuated all her curves. One look at her face told him all he needed to know about how she was feeling.

She had clearly been crying. He could just see the sheen of wetness that still lingered on her lashes. She raised her chin as if to defy him to mention it.

He took a few slow steps towards her. "You okay, Princess?" he asked in a low tone.

"Of course." Her quiet voice was steady as always.

Sitting there in the vast hangar, looking so beautiful and sad in her white gown, she looked fragile, something he had never considered her. The weight of her loss hit him again and the way her pain gashed his heart surprised him. As he walked all the way to stand in front of her, their eyes remained locked. For just a moment, he thought he saw her chin tremble. Then, it was still.

"Had enough partying for one night?"

"You could say that." Her voice was impassive.

"Me, too." He wanted to say something comforting, but was at a loss. "Leia…" he began, not knowing what would come next. His gaze fell to the floor and he fidgeted awkwardly before returning to look at her. "Is there…anything I can do? For you?"

The tears began to gather again. "Don't be nice to me," she whispered hoarsely.

Huh? "Why not?"

"Just don't."

Her face crumpled and as she raised a hand to cover it, Han suddenly found himself leaning onto the cargo sled until he was sitting next to her; and then his arms were around her shoulders, where they hadn't been in so long. She burrowed into his comfort, shoulders shaking, and it felt both familiar and awkward at the same time.

Han said nothing. What could he possibly say? He just held her tightly against his chest, where she grieved in quiet sobs that sounded deafening to Han's ears. Several minutes later, the sobs tapered to sniffles and she was still in his arms. Frozen in time, he made no move to disengage.

When the sniffles had faded to silence, Leia pulled gently away from him, head lowered as she wiped the tears away from her eyes with a delicate hand. Han watched her closely, an odd, empty feeling in his chest. He leaned away from her, against the sled, and placed his hands in his lap.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, head hanging.

"Nothin' to be sorry about." His voice sounded strained to his own ears. Leia was not one to show weakness. The fact that she had allowed herself to grieve so unabashedly either said a lot about her trust in him, or about how hard her feelings were finally hitting her. He wished he knew which.

With no magic words with which to soothe her, he turned to his own usual go-to. "You have anything to drink tonight?"

"A bit." Her gaze continued to avoid his.

"Maybe you should have more."

Her eyes rose rapidly. "What?"

He shrugged. "Drinking makes me forget my troubles sometimes."

"I have no desire to return to the party."

"You don't have to. Come onboard the Falcon." He gestured with his head in that direction. "I've got plenty

She seemed to consider it while Han waited, hopeful. "Okay. Why not?" Her eyes remained dull.

Han slid from the seat and stepped off the sled, Leia following. He was glad they didn't have to part company just yet. He had no specific intentions, he just knew he didn't want to see her go. He had always felt that pull towards her, like a tractor beam existed between them. He had never been sure which of them had been drawing the other in.

He led her up the ramp and into the galley. As she took a seat at the counter, Han pulled a bottle of Corellian Brandy from a cabinet and grabbed two glasses. He poured them each a small portion, placed one in front of Leia then sat on the stool next to her. He swiveled to face her as she eyed her glass with suspicion.

"What is this?"

"Corellian Brandy. Best you'll ever taste."

She lifted the glass slowly to her lips and took a tiny sip. Her eyes went wide, and she began to cough with a blustery intensity, one hand rising to cover her mouth.

He hid a smile of amusement, leaning closer to her. "You okay?"

The coughing died down and she looked at him in disbelief. "That's the best I'll ever taste? I would hate to taste the worst."

Now, he let his grin blaze full-force. "Maybe you need something a little less strong."

"Maybe." She appeared dubious.

"I forgot what a lightweight you are." He winked, and she glowered as he turned away to rummage through the cabinet again. He came away with a bottle of Tagorian wine. "This oughta do." Returning to his seat, he took her glass, quickly drained it of brandy, and poured a generous helping of wine into it.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

He nodded and watched her sip the wine.

"This is much better," she said with a small, appreciative smile.

Han smiled back, and they lapsed into silence.

After what felt like a long stretch of empty air, she looked at him speculatively. "Han, why did you come back?"

He was taken aback by the question and it stirred some deep emotion within him as his defenses rose in unison. He shrugged. "Seemed like a good idea."

"You were quite adamant about not risking your life for such a hopeless cause."

His mind struggled for a response just a second too long. "Well, I figured my Corellian luck would even things up in your favor."

She raised an eyebrow and sipped her wine. "It had nothing to do with me?" Her voice gave no hint of her feelings one way or the other.

His eyes flickered away in discomfort then returned. "Maybe a little," he countered, a hint of defensiveness seeping into his tone.

She showed no reaction, just stared into her wine. "Your ship is quite fast," she finally said. "Not much to look at, but fast."

The left-handed compliment left him wordless. It all felt so awkward, yet he was riveted to the spot, trying to manage all the deep, conflicting feelings that swelled in his chest.

She switched gears quickly. "It was quite shocking to look up and see you in the detention center."

"I'm sure," he drawled. He recalled Luke's declaration that the Princess was there, being held captive on the Death Star. Han had been reluctant to believe it was Leia, afraid to get his hopes up that she was still alive and well. His cautious optimism had paid off and when he saw her small form rushing towards him. The relief that flooded him almost made his head swim. It had been difficult to concentrate on anything else at a time when he needed to focus.

And to think, she had been scheduled for termination. The thought gave him a chill.

"Very surreal," she added, staring at the floor. "As the past few days have been."

He watched her as her thoughts seemed to drift. The rosy blush of her cheeks brightened her pale skin and the light from the illuminators cast a shine to the curve of her lips. She was stunning and, somehow, it brought a sharp pain to his chest. He swallowed hard and searched for a topic to lighten the mood.

"Remember the night of that ball?" He allowed a grin to crawl across half his face. That night had been bittersweet in so many way, yet he knew the memories would distract her. "When you drank too much wine?"

She rolled her eyes but was smiling sheepishly. "Don't remind me." She covered her face with the curve of a hand.

Han laughed lightly. "That was fun. Especially when you couldn't name all the systems."

"I'm so glad it amused you," she said wryly.

"You were really cute."

She stiffened. "I was not trying to be cute."

"What were you trying to be?" he asked with a chuckle.

Her eyes grew serious through the hint of a smile. She looked at him through her lashes and Han had a feeling she was remembering the details of that night. He would never forget it; the way she had flirted with him in that clumsy, drunken way, teasing and tempting him into a ravenous fervor he couldn't possibly act upon.

"I barely remember that night," she confessed. "I just remember feeling like a fool the next morning."

Han wondered if she were telling the truth. "Don't worry about it. Everyone has a bad, first-drunk story."

"Oh really? What's yours?"

He laughed. "That file's been deleted."

"Oh, come on, that's not fair!" Her expression held a hint of petulance.

Suddenly, the woman sitting before him was that young girl again, as her smile finally became genuine. A wave of nostalgia hit him.

"I never said I was fair," he countered.

Leia smiled and shook her head at him then looked away. "You broke my heart a little when you left," she whispered, eyes still averted.

Han's stomach bottomed out. Before he could recover and form a response, she seemed to shake herself from thoughts of the past.

"But, that was a long time ago."

Han floundered, losing the opportunity to comment. What he could have said, he didn't know. He looked away until she spoke again.

"Fallacies of the young," she dismissed.

Her words wove a thread of disappointment through him. "You're still young," he replied encouragingly.

"I don't feel it." She smiled sadly, eyes distracted by nothing.

Was this what it was to care about someone? To watch the heavy burden of her sorrow and wish that you could shoulder it for her? He didn't like it. It made him feel weak and helpless, and very much alone.

"You've been through a lot." _Understatement of all time._

She took a gulp of wine. "It would be easier if I had been killed on the Death Star." She paused. "But, then it would be free to commit more mass slaughter."

Her words brought a visceral reaction to his gut. "For what it's worth," he said slowly. "I'm glad you're alive."

Her eyes met his and for a long, peaceful moment neither spoke. Finally, Leia broke the silence. "Well, it's thanks to you."

He shrugged self-consciously. "And Luke and Chewie."

"So modest." There was almost a smile tugging at her lips.

One side of Han's mouth cocked upwards. "Never been called that before."

"I'm sure," she said wryly, and now she did smile.

Something seemed to settle between them and Han wasn't sure he liked where it lay.

"Well," she said abruptly. "Thank you for your hospitality. But, I think it's time that I return to my quarters." She slid from the stool.

Han stood. "I'll walk you."

"No, thank you. I need some time to myself. To clear my head."

He didn't want to leave her company just yet, but he wasn't going to argue. "Okay."

They walked to the ramp in silence and Han leaned against the bulkhead, uncertain of how to say good night. He realized he wanted to hold her in his arms again, if only for a moment.

She kept a brisk space between them. "Thank you, Han. For everything you've done."

He nodded, feeling unworthy of her gratitude. After a sideways glance, his eyes returned to hers.

"Will you be moving on soon?" she asked, seemingly hesitant.

Those brown eyes watched him closely and Han squirmed internally. "Yeah, I suppose."

A slight crease marred her perfect, porcelain brow. "You suppose?"

Han's shoulders shifted in discomfort, eyes bouncing everywhere but back to her. "Well, I don't have too much goin' on, so…" He trailed off before turning his gaze back to her with some reticence.

She nodded but he could tell that she wasn't sure what he was saying. And neither was he.

"Well. Good night," she said softly.

"Night."

She placed a hand on his arm, her eyes canted downwards in seeming contemplation. Then, she gave him a small smile and walked demurely down the ramp.

Han watched her go, a miasma colliding inside him. He didn't know exactly what he felt. He only knew it was too much.


	4. Chapter 4: Crossed Wires

Thank you for all the love! You guys are awesome :) I'm trying to stay on top of posting, hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Sitting in the Mess Hall, Leia chastised herself for her acute awareness of Han entering the crowded room. She had looked up reflexively, as if she had been expecting him strut into the mess. He casually surveyed the scene before sidling up to the long counter where food was being served. Watching him surreptitiously, she moved her food around her plate without eating. She hadn't been hungry, but General Willard had insisted she try to eat something.

Lately, Leia had barely an appetite. Her suspicion was that it was being suppressed by her steady diet of kaffe and depression. It didn't much matter to her. Food was inconsequential, simply a means to survive and fight the Empire another day. An odd numbness pervaded her, seeming to only dissipate in Han's presence. When she saw him, it was the only time she ever felt anything, good or bad. And she never knew what type of emotions he might elicit from her.

His tall, lean form moved along the food line, tray in hand, with a feline-like grace that implied he had all the time in the galaxy. His hair was longer than it had been three years ago, his face just a bit more weathered, a bit older. Memories returned to her consciousness, wavering in all different directions.

It surprised Leia that Han had stuck around with the rebels. He had been adamant before the battle at Yavin that this was not his fight, that he felt it was fruitless. Yet, four weeks later, he was still here. And Leia couldn't help but wonder why. The thought that she might be the reason he had stayed stirred up a myriad of emotions.

What was it about him? No other man had ever brought her to instant attention. No one else had ever aroused such feelings of attraction and temptation. Han Solo could practically seduce her with those expressive brown-green eyes alone.

When she was sixteen, his masculine good looks had first garnered her interest, and she had, at first, dismissed it as just that. But, slowly, he had unraveled before her, a complex mixture of tough and tender; a man who treated her as both more and less than a princess. And, she found that she liked it, the way he treated her as a person; the way he looked at her as a woman.

She hadn't quite been a woman just then. But, she was a woman now, no longer too young for a man his age to pursue. He had made no move to do so, and Leia wondered if what she saw in his eyes was simply an echo of the past.

There was something there when he looked at her, as there had been three years ago. At the time, she had tried to force him to admit his feelings. His eyes had exposed everything he felt, even though he never voiced it, never acted on it. However, he never denied it either. Before he left he had listed all the reasons it couldn't be.

Her duties to Alderaan, his calling to the stars, her dreams of change, his inability to stay in one place, the difference in their ages…

Every check mark on his list had cut her heart just a bit deeper, made it feel as if it were raw and bleeding. She had been young, a romantic fool for the first and only time in her life. Looking back, he had been right about everything.

Things had changed drastically since then. Was she even a princess anymore? Her loss engulfed her once again and, for a moment, Han was forgotten. Perhaps he was only a keen distraction. If things were as they had been, maybe his presence wouldn't have rattled her so. Perhaps it was only her current vulnerable state that brought about this rash intensity of feelings. She pushed her grief aside, wondering if her feelings for Han were as real as they felt or if he was just a diversion from her pain.

Leia hadn't even realized her eyes were still on him until he was suddenly staring back at her, poised to move in her direction. Her heart leapt a little.

He ambled to where she sat, alone, and presented a tentative smile. "Up for company?" There was a certain vulnerability to the way he asked, as if he were afraid she might tell him to go away.

"Yes, please join me." She spent most of her time alone, a sad contrast to her former life, which had been full to bursting.

He sat facing her, his tray practically overflowing.

"Hungry?" she asked with the raise of a brow and a small smile.

"A little." He grinned crookedly, surveyed her small plate then seemed to examine her.

Self-conscious under the studious gaze of eyes that seemed suddenly more brown than green, Leia forced herself to take a few bites of food. "I'm a bit surprised that you're still with the Alliance."

His eyes became sharp. "I'm not really _with_ the Alliance. I'm just getting paid for some work." His tone was defensive, bordering on a sneer.

Leia sat up straighter, stung. Silence fell, and she returned to moving her food around without eating it.

He finally spoke, and his voice sounded conciliatory. "How have you been handling things?"

"Just fine," she replied coldly, eyes unseeing.

"You sure?"

Now her gaze searched and found his. "Why do you ask?"

"You look…" He seemed lost for an appropriate word and glanced away momentarily. "Not like yourself."

"Who do I look like?" she asked, with a wry half-smile, momentarily thinking that it might be nice to be someone other than herself.

"Like someone who's been through hell," he answered quickly, without returning her smile.

The sorrow she constantly battled rolled through her once again. "Well, I have been through hell. And I've made it back." A sudden lump formed in her throat, but she swallowed it back. She wasn't certain why, but having Han Solo ask after her well being with such genuine concern threatened to undo her. But, she refused to allow him to see it.

"Have you?" His expression was earnest.

She bit the inside of her lip, forcing herself to keep it together. Why did his concern unnerve her so? "I have," she declared with a touch of defiance.

His brow rose, and he clearly didn't believe her, but he returned to eating. Leia was happy to drop the subject. She couldn't stomach the idea of Han perceiving her as weak. She needed to show him that she was a woman now, not the naïve child she had been.

It occurred to her that she had allowed herself to be quite vulnerable with him three years ago. What had changed?

She had grown up. She no longer harbored the delusion that love might conquer all if she just wore her heart on her sleeve. The truth hurt, but it was undeniable: this man would not stay in the long run, not for her. At sixteen, she had wanted to believe in love. Now, she had no confidence in it. And she could take no more loss and pain. Han might care for her, but it was no more than that. And she could not force herself to believe it could be.

"You work too hard," he mumbled around a mouthful of food.

Her eyes hardened further. "Oh, yes," she replied pointedly. "You think life is all about fun and games. I forgot."

Han frowned and swallowed. "Look, I get it. I get it. You're on a mission here. You're fighting the good fight. I know. But, you're running yourself ragged."

Leia felt as if all her internal organs had tightened. She sat up straighter. "How do you even know what I do? Are you spying on me?"

His head snapped back, eyes wide. Something in his features sharpened. "Spying? I don't have to 'spy' on you to see that you're working all hours, to see the dark circles under your eyes, or that you've lost weight." His voice contained a slight sneer.

Leia's gaze fell to the table, suddenly self-conscious. Did she really look so terrible? Was her suffering so obvious? She had been trying really hard to hold herself together, to appear stronger than she felt and show no weakness. "I'm fine, Captain," she replied coldly, looking him in the eye and struggling to regain her composure.

"Hey!" a voice called, nearing the table.

Leia and Han both looked up to find Luke smiling in that friendly, trusting manner of his. Tray in hand, he paused and looked from Han to Leia, smile slowly fading.

"Is everything okay?" he asked with innocent concern.

Leia took a deep, solid breath and refocused. "Yes, Luke. Hi, come join us." She gestured towards the empty seat on the corner beside them and he smiled again and sat down. Luke was unlike Han. He was uncomplicated, someone she could count on, someone who cared and would stay with the Rebellion. He would stand by her side and fight.

"Hey, Kid," Han greeted, tone more affable. "How're things with that X-Wing they're crazy enough to trust you with?"

Luke grinned. "I think I proved I can handle it."

"Don't get cocky, Kid."

"Yes, Luke," Leia interjected. "Han has the market cornered on that."

Luke laughed, and Han turned an arrogant smile her way.

"When you're this good, it's just honesty."

Luke glanced at her, mouth curving into a small smile and she just rolled her eyes, resentment still stinging her core. She noticed that Luke's gaze lingered on her a bit too long. The look in his clear, blue eyes was a familiar one. Another admirer of the Princess. She really liked Luke, he was a wonderful man. But, she had been on the receiving end of those looks her entire life, and she knew she could never live up to the expectations that came along with them. Nor did she want to.

Luke turned to Han. "I'm glad you're still hanging around, Han."

"Yeah, well, there's plenty of work here, the Rebellion's money's as good as anyone else's."

Leia's lips clenched.

"That's your only reason for staying?" Luke asked with the hint of a coy smile.

"What other reason is there?" Han asked casually.

A small, irrational flash of anger hit Leia at his words. "Some things never change," she said airily, eyes on her plate.

"How did you two come to know each other anyway?" Luke asked innocently, glancing from one to the other. "I know it was a while ago, but what happened?"

Her eyes sprung to Han's and he was looking right back at her. Something set stubbornly inside her and she waited for him to answer. After a lingering moment of silence, he finally did.

"I was her bodyguard a few years back. For a short time, when she was just a kid."

The flash of anger flamed to a bonfire _. A kid, indeed!_

"How did that happen?" Luke asked in disbelief.

"Han was stranded on Alderaan," she volunteered in a tension-laden voice. "No money, no ship." The bonfire twisted and entwined with her grief and she almost felt as if she might start trembling at any moment. "I needed a bodyguard at the time. It was a simple arrangement." She kept her eyes locked on Han's and he looked bewildered.

"What a crazy coincidence," Luke said with a shake of his head.

"Indeed." Her spine remained stiff.

"Why did you need a bodyguard?"

"I was receiving death threats from an unknown source."

"That's scary."

"It wasn't anything that hadn't happened before. I told my father I didn't need a bodyguard. That I was quite capable of taking care of myself."

Han snorted towards his plate.

Leia felt her jaw go instantly taut. "You have something to say?" she asked Han, tone abrasive.

Han posed his best innocent face. "Who, me?" His hand splayed against his chest.

Leia just stared at him, aware of Luke looking back and forth between them.

Han returned to his plate without a word.

"You should just become an official member of the Rebellion, Han," Luke suggested.

Han paused, food halfway to his mouth. "That's never gonna happen."

"Why not?"

"First of all, I'm not a joiner. I do my own thing. Second, I don't stay in one place that long. And third, I'm not spending my time fighting a worthless cause."

Leia's anger threatened to rise to an unmanageable level. Before she could lose her cool, she stood and grabbed her tray. "Excuse me, gentlemen. I seem to have lost my appetite."

As she spun on her heel and made her way towards the recycler, she heard Luke say one last thing to Han.

"What just happened?"


	5. Chapter 5: Love and Other Distractions

Happy Valentine's Day! How could today pass by without a chapter of Han and Leia? It is the day of love after all and, no matter what else happens between them, they do love each other! I hope you all have a great VD and that this helps get you in the spirit!

###

"Can I have a word with you in private, Your Highness?" Han growled.

Leia smiled up at him a bit too sweetly. "Of course, Captain."

With a scowl firmly planted across his features, Han led Leia from the large room onto a balcony. He closed the door behind them. When he turned to face her, she gazed up at him in innocence.

"What're you doing?" he demanded.

Her head tilted to one side. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"You know what I mean."

"I'm sorry, but I don't." A flash of defiance slanted her lips but was quickly gone.

The scowl etched deeper. For the past hour, Han had watched Leia bat her eyes and smile ingratiatingly at the Prince from Baralti. Had the Prince not been such an arrogant, strutting emerald kofta-grouse, it might not have bothered Han so much. But, how could Leia seriously have an interest in such a man?

"What're you doing with that Prince guy?"

Her head snapped back. "I don't think that is any of your concern." She was suddenly the haughty Princess.

"It is my concern."

"How is it your concern?"

He was stumped for a second, having not thought so far ahead. "I'm here to protect you," he finally spat.

"You are here to escort me, not to protect me. And even if you were, what is it that you suppose the Prince might do to harm me? Dance me to death?" One eyebrow rose in unison with that same side of her mouth.

His teeth clenched as he realized he had no rebuttal. "I just don't trust the guy."

"Well, we're here to forge new alliances for the Rebellion. I hope to gain the support of Baralti. That is the entire point of this evening."

Han felt his eyes narrowing but couldn't stop them. "All right, _Princess._ " He spat her title with a sneer. "Go get back to work. Don't come lookin' for me if you get into trouble."

"I can take care of myself."

"Sure, you can," he sneered. "Just like on Alderaan."

The acidity left her eyes at the mention of her home planet. The pain that so often came and went was present again and Han felt like a vrelt. Regretfully, he reached a hand out to her, but she stepped backwards from his touch.

"I didn't need you then and I don't need you now," she whispered harshly, before turning, yanking the door open and sweeping back into the formal room.

Alone in the night, he cursed himself under his breath. Bringing up Alderaan had been a stupid mistake. He knew very well the pain she still experienced at the mention of anything related to her loss.

With a sigh of frustration, he returned to the party, eyes searching for and finding Leia in her pale pink, formal gown. All night, the sight of her had driven him mad. Her shoulders were bare and the long sleeves that started just below tapered down to a wide hem. The bodice was distractingly tight, with a skirt that flared beneath it. He wondered if she had any idea how breathtaking she was.

The Prince had certainly noticed. At the moment, he was nowhere near Leia, which pleased Han immensely. She was currently speaking to an older couple and he took the opportunity to observe her unnoticed.

The creamy skin of her shoulders beckoned him. He desperately wanted to place a kiss on one, then blaze a trail up her neck, his tongue brushing the soft skin.

These thoughts had to stop. He was driving himself crazy. What he really needed to do was leave the Rebellion, and her, behind. Somehow, he was unable to make himself go. He had never intended to stay so long, yet six months after the destruction of the Death Star, he remained.

It didn't help that Chewbacca almost constantly encouraged him to stay. Han wasn't sure if the big lug felt a stirring for the cause, or if he had decided to play matchmaker. He encouraged him to make a play for Leia all too often.

But, if Chewie encouraged him, Leia, herself, did the opposite. In recent months, their interactions had alternated between friendly and hostile. Han never knew what to expect.

The Prince approached Leia again and the wicked stab of jealousy returned to pierce his heart. Han scowled. The man was tall, with pale skin and a long pointy nose. How could Leia possibly be attracted to that? Of course, he was a Prince. Entirely in her league, he acknowledged, a burning sensation churning in his chest.

He tugged at the collar of the navy blue formal wear that had been forced on him. _'You have to blend in,'_ Her Highness had declared. Formal clothes…just another thing he hated. But, no matter how hard he fought against it, in the end, he always seemed to do whatever she asked. Gods, he was a fool.

Han glowered as Leia and the Prince took to the dance floor again. He twirled her about and, for a moment, it almost looked as if Leia had glanced at Han. But, no, he had probably imagined it. Clearly, she was occupied with someone who was more on par with her social standing.

Back on Alderaan, he had been quite certain that they were completely wrong for each other, despite the way she had beckoned him. And, oh, how strong that pull towards her had been. It had taken all his willpower to resist. If she had been just a couple of years older, he might not have been able to restrain himself.

He remembered, suddenly, the words he had told Leia before leaving Alderaan. That someday, she would meet someone who was right for her and she would forget him completely. Funny how things had turned out. Han wasn't the one for her, but she could not possibly forget him when he stood before her in the flesh, day after day. Was that the reason he stuck around? It was difficult to sort out his feelings. He preferred not to think about them but somehow Leia defied his usual conduct. When it came to her, there was too much stirred up inside him to ignore.

It burned him how strongly he wished he were the one for her. He would never admit it aloud, but those feelings he had towards her on Alderaan had not died. Upon re-acquaintance, the remnants had bolstered and blossomed until they were blazing furiously inside him.

It was a foolish dream, one he needed to put out of his mind. She had, understandably, moved on from her girlhood crush. He had never been more than a frivolous, girlish flirtation. At the time, he had known that. Having resurfaced in his life, it was hard to remember at times.

He passed the rest of the evening watching Leia navigate the room, in and out of the company of the Prince. When it was time to retire to their rooms, the Prince swept her hand up in his and kissed it formally. The smile she flashed him made Han's blood throb in his veins.

He glowered the entire way back to the suite they had been assigned. In the common room, he immediately flicked open his shirt collar and shrugged off the jacket, able to breathe comfortably again. When he turned, he was surprised to see Leia standing at the bar, pouring herself a drink.

She smirked slightly at his raised eyebrows. "Would you like one?"

"Sure."

She removed another glass from the open compartment and filled it halfway with wine. He took it from her outstretched hand, noting the smile brimming at her lips.

"What're you smilin' about?" he asked sourly.

The smile became full-fledged. "It was a successful evening."

He took a gulp of wine. "Yeah, I'm sure," he groused.

She took a flighty step in the other direction. "Oh, unclench yourself, Han. It was politics."

She had completely startled him. "What're you talking about?"

"The Prince."

Her meaning hit and he wondered if she thought him jealous or overprotective. He took a sip of wine, struggling with his composure. He couldn't deny a bit of both.

Leia moved to sit on the dark sofa in the middle of the room. Han took a swig of wine and sat on the sofa opposite her. He kicked off his boots and leaned one arm along the back of the sofa. When his eyes fell on Leia, he saw she was staring into her wine with a wistful expression. He studied her serious features, so delicate and intense.

"What're you thinkin' about?" If she said the Prince, he was going to bed immediately.

For a moment, she didn't answer, only continued to stare into her glass. "Home," she finally said quietly, eyes soft.

Han's gaze dropped for a second before returning to her. He realized that tonight had been quite a bit like that long-ago night on Alderaan. At a loss for comforting words, he sat silently, watching her.

She swallowed the last of her wine, the smooth lines of her throat fascinating Han, and placed her glass on the table between them. Seeming to shake herself from her reverie, she met his eyes.

"I was a bit surprised when you signed up for this mission."

Her statement unsettled him. Why was he at such a loss for words tonight?

"More wine?" He gestured towards the bar.

Leia gave him a short shake of the head. "No, thank you."

His mind was stuck on her earlier comment. "You always flirt to get people to join the Rebellion?"

With a small smirk, she answered, "It worked on you."

For the briefest of moments, his jaw went slack. "Except I didn't join the Rebellion," he said defensively. The idea that any woman had manipulated him sent a burst of resentment through him.

The smirk remained but she didn't respond, only rose suddenly. "I'm going to bed."

Han looked after her, the words sending unbidden thoughts to his mind. He realized, suddenly, how badly he wanted her, as a wave of lust powered through him.

"G'night," he called in a tight voice.

"See you in the morning."

His eyes burned a hole in the door that closed behind her. Why _had_ he signed up for this mission?


	6. Chapter 6:Following Orders

So sorry that this chapter has taken so long to post. While editing this story, I realized that it was far too short to span the given time period, so I am in the process of adding some new chapters. I'm not really in writing mode at the moment, so it has taken me longer than expected. I still need to write more and this chapter is short because I didn't want to keep you waiting. So, it might be a while before the next update. Anyway, thank you all for reading, following, and reviewing, you guys are the best! :)

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"Why are you doing this?"

Defensiveness brought tension to her shoulders and she looked up from the game table. "What do you mean, _why?_ "

Han shrugged with a sniff and his gaze bounced around the Falcon's crew lounge. "It's dangerous." His reply was guttural, as if it took great effort to push it from deep inside.

Leia looked quickly to the datapad in her hands before returning her eyes to Han. On the one hand, she was pleased that he was concerned for her. On the other, didn't he, of all people, realize that she was capable?

"Of course, it's dangerous," she replied levelly, trying to keep the irritation from her tone. "We're at war."

Han's eyes rolled quickly to the ceiling before returning to regard her dubiously. "Yeah, I know."

"So, what's your point?" One brow rose expectantly, daring him to continue.

"My point," he said with emphasis, "is that you're…better suited to, ah…diplomatic missions."

The brewing anger sharpened in intensity. "Better suited," she spat under her breath before gathering her wits. "Might I remind you that I was able to secure the Death Star plans and keep them safe from the Empire?" Her cheeks had warmed considerably, and she was aware of the stiffness of her spine.

"Yeah," he snorted. "And you got caught."

She glared daggers at him. " _And_ I saved us."

"That's only cause _I_ rescued you."

"I would've been put right back in my cell if it hadn't been for my quick thinking. And you would've been in the cell right next door to mine." She arched one eyebrow at him, trying to appear cavalier, while acid burned in her chest.

"I just don't see why you need to put yourself at risk when there're other things you could be doing."

Exasperated, she dropped the datapad on the table with a dull thud. "I'm tired of doing 'other things.' I don't want to stand behind the scenes and be a symbol. I want to make a difference."

His hands moved to his hips and he shook his head slightly. "You make a difference all the time. You don't need to do this to make a difference. What're you tryin' to prove?"

Something deflated inside her. What was she trying to prove? And why did he have to question her judgement? "I have nothing to prove,"  
she protested with less vigor. "I'm a leader. So, I'm going to lead."

He muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." He gave a small grimace.

She regarded him with mild malice before turning the tables. "Why are _you_ here?" she countered.

Han snorted derisively, and one thumb thumped against his chest. " _I'm_ here cause I'm gettin' paid."

"A likely story," she mumbled, returning her attention to her datapad. He was silent a moment and Leia thought perhaps he had given up this particular battle.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he huffed.

She smiled up at him a bit too sweetly. "Nothing." Their gazes held for a long moment and Han looked confused. Leia couldn't deny feeling the same. Most of their interactions left her feeling this way. She watched him as his engines seemed to lose power, his eyes fell away, and he slowly took a seat across from her. The air between them was suddenly less charged, leaving only disheartenment in its wake.

Secretly, Leia wavered between believing that Han was concerned for her well-being, and suspecting he felt she was not a competent leader. She wanted to believe the former yet was afraid it was the latter. She had volunteered to lead this mission because she was tired of inaction and knew she had more to offer than handling negotiations. And, maybe she did want to prove her ability, Han hadn't been entirely wrong about that. But, she would be damned if she was going to validate him.

"When do we come out of hyperspace?" she asked to break the silence.

"'Bout two more hours." His shoulders hunched, and he placed his clasped hands on the tabletop, almost contritely.

Leia thought about Rogue Squadron, with Luke as their leader, streaming through hyperspace beside them, ready to attack the freighter carrying a huge shipment of weapons headed for the Naboo weapons depot. The freighter had no defensive weaponry but would arrive with two TIE fighter squadrons flying escort. The primary objective was to capture the freighter and procure the weapons. If that proved impossible, the secondary directive was to destroy the ship.

She had specifically requested the Millennium Falcon as her flagship. Everyone knew it was the fastest ship in the Rebel Fleet…although Han would quickly proclaim that it was _not_ part of the Fleet. It was also well-known that Han was the best pilot in the Alliance. But again, he would adamantly deny being _in_ the Alliance. A sore point with Leia, to say the least.

But, if any pilot in any ship could fly circles around Imperial fighters, it was Han Solo in the Millennium Falcon. She might tease him about his ship being the piece of junk it looked like, but she knew it was fast, especially in the hands of its pilot.

And it was an added bonus that this mission would allow him the opportunity to see that she could indeed be a leader to be reckoned with. Her one major concern was Han's penchant for disobeying orders. This was the first time he would be directly under her command. She knew he respected her, but would he adhere to her orders? Or did he still see her as a girl who needed to be protected?

###

Han was highly aware that they had lost three fighters, which didn't seem like a lot, but when you factored in that they were outnumbered two-to-one from the start, it really was a great deal to lose. Bright, red beams of Imperial laser fire flashed past them as he maneuvered his ship to avoid them.

"Open a channel to Luke and Wedge," Leia ordered.

Without a word, Han hit the comm. He could feel Leia move in closer behind him.

"Rogue Leader, Rogue Three," she called. "We're going to lock onto the Freighter and attempt to board. Cover us."

Han's chin fell and an instant, disbelieving anger crawled up his back.

"Copy that," came Luke's reply.

Swimming in a torrent of emotions, Han's head turned to glare at the Princess. "We're gonna _what?"_ Her mouth opened to reply but he didn't allow her the opportunity. "That's how you inform me of the plan? You could've told me first!" he bellowed.

She remained perfectly calm. "Now I've told you. Make your approach vector."

He returned his gaze to the viewport and concentrated on steering clear of the onslaught of laser fire, but his thoughts were still clouded with resentment. "Are you crazy? We'll be too easy a target. We need to take out more of those TIES."

"Luke and Wedge will cover us. And I'll take the lower quad gun." Her voice was steady with just a hint of tension.

"You're makin' a mistake," he growled.

"We'll see about that." Her footsteps retreated, growing fainter behind him.

Jaw taut, Han glanced at Chewie, whose expression was impassive. "This is insane," he complained.

The Wookiee gave a grunting chuckle and responded shortly that it seemed just like something Solo might do.

"Shut up," Han snarled.

"I'm in." Leia's voice was terse over the Falcon's comm.

He sighed in frustration. "Stay sharp, Princess. I'm goin' in."

"Copy."

Maneuvering through a mix of streaming ships and flashes of laser fire, Han drew the Falcon towards the freighter. He hit the comm to include the X-wing squadron. "Two fighters on our tail," he shouted.

"I see 'em," Luke replied immediately, swooping in behind them.

"Han!" Leia called. "More power to the back shields."

"Already done, Your Highnessness," he sneered. Did she think he didn't know what he was doing?! Before he could give it another thought, she had obliterated one of the fighters. Luke destroyed the other one shortly after.

"Once you engage, put all power to the back shields." Leia's voice resounded through the cockpit.

"I know!" he shouted back, teeth gritting in anger. "Chewie, set seven-four-two."

His Co-pilot growled confirmation and immediately plotted their course.

"Now I know what a pirate feels like," Han muttered under his breath. Explosions brightened all around them, but as he guided his ship closer to the freighter they faded from view. "Okay, Pal, I'm gonna head for the hatch, switch over." He hauled himself to his feet and barely heard Chewie's acknowledgment as he rushed down the access corridor. At the controls for the hatch, he grimaced before placing a hand to hover over the controls. This was not what he had expected of this mission and it angered him that Leia hadn't informed him of her plan beforehand. He waited, albeit impatiently, as Chewie brought the ship into the correct position.

In sync with his beloved ship, Han knew the exact moment that the Falcon aligned with the Freighter. He has glad he couldn't hear the Princess barking unnecessary orders at him as he hit the controls to latch onto the freighter.

 _Here's where the fun begins,_ he thought with a glower.


	7. Chapter 7: The Question of Authority

I am so, so sorry it's taken me this long to update and I am also sorry that this is super short. I have been working on the next scene, which has been coming along very slowly. I was waiting until I finished it, but in the meantime, so that you are not kept waiting, I am posting this short scene. I will never again start posting something that is not completely finished, lol. It's too stressful. Thank you all for hanging in with this story and your concern over my absence. I hope to be updating more quickly next time!

EDIT: Hazel: hahahahahha, the 84 years comment cracked me up! :)

###

The moment the Millennium Falcon entered hyperspace, Han stalked to the gun turret and glared down at the top of the Princess' head where she was ascending from the lower quad gun. As she approached the top rung, he held out his hand to her, but she ignored it and hopped up on her own. Their eyes met and hers were sparkling above a pleased smile. It only irked him further.

"What happened back there?" he asked sharply. "We were supposed to capture the freighter."

Her pleasure dimmed a bit. "I decided it was less of a risk to simply take the shipment and leave the freighter behind."

It made sense, but Han resented being left out of the loop. "We come up with a plan for a reason!" He realized he was shouting at her, but he couldn't seem to get his voice under control.

She bristled visibly, shoulders tensing, chin raising in defiance. "I think you're forgetting that I'm the one in charge of this mission. You answer to me, not the other way around."

Her words only angered him further. "Yeah, you're in charge. We only got away with the shipment out of pure luck!"

Leia's cheeks reddened, and now she appeared as angry as him. "We got away with the shipment because I made the right decision." Her voice had lowered and tightened.

For just a moment, Han was struck by how beautiful she looked, eyes bright with anger, cheeks enflamed. He refocused on the moment at hand. "Who decided you could handle this anyway? Just because you've had some luck in the past, suddenly you're a military tactician?"

"And what?" she snapped. "You think you could've done better? The mission was a success!"

"Damn right I could've!"

"Well, you weren't put in charge, were you?" A bitter smile curled her lips.

They glared at each other and Han wondered how they had come to this.

"Stop treating me like I don't know what I'm doing. Everywhere we go, you act as if you know better than me!"

"I do know better than you!"

"I'm not a child anymore," Leia spat. "I don't need you protecting me!"

He wasn't sure where that had come from, but he resented it. "I don't protect no one, I only look out for myself," he sneered. Something deep inside him reeled in response and he doubted his own words.

Something in her expression hardened and when she spoke, her tone had lowered considerably. "Oh yes, how could I forget? You're such a mercenary." Her last word was venomous.

Han felt oddly offended, which confused him, since he was the first one to declare his lack of allegiance to anything but money. "That's right." To his own ears, his voice sounded hollow. "I'm in this for the money."

"Well, from now on, maybe you should earn your money working with someone else!" She turned on her heel and stalked from the hold.

Han watched her go, a sinking feeling in his stomach. He huffed a harsh breath and tramped to his cabin, where he hoped to banish a certain, impossible princess from his thoughts.


	8. Chapter 8: The Road Not Taken

I know this chapter has been a long time coming and I apologize for the wait. I was off from work today and dedicated myself to finishing this chapter. I still feel that this story needs additional chapters for it to cover the period of time in which it takes place. However, I am finding it difficult to find the time or inspiration to add to it at a decent pace. So, I am going to leave it up to my wonderful readers to vote on it and I will go with what the majority votes for. Would you rather I take more time in between posts and add to this story so that it appears to cover the appropriate time period? Or would you prefer that I update more frequently and just stick with what I already have written? I will go with what the majority of readers decide.

Thank you all for reading, reviewing, and for reminding me that you are still waiting lol. With this story, you guys are definitely my inspiration. Hope you enjoy this long-awaited chapter!

###

Leia was thirsty. She had been holed up in the crew quarters for several hours now, avoiding Han. She had been hungry for a while but hunger she could live with. Now, she had a headache and felt slightly nauseated. Mild dehydration always affected her this way.

The entire incident with Han left her both angry and embarrassed. What kind of leader was she if she couldn't hold her temper? And why did Han always inspire such strong feelings, one way or another. He always left her feeling unsettled more often than she wanted to admit to herself.

A year ago, when he had so magically and unexpectedly swept back into her life, Leia had told herself that the titillating feelings he inspired were simply a whisper of the past. After all, she had been through a traumatic experience, and here was this handsome man, the one reminder of all she had lost and the only connection that remained to her former life. Of course, she would feel such a charge in his presence. It made perfect sense.

But here they were one year later, and her feelings had not diminished as she had hoped they would. If anything, they had grown more intense. She often suspected that this was why she responded so quickly when he baited her anger, intentionally or not. This time hadn't seemed intentional, which was what made it all the worse. He hadn't been teasing her. He genuinely believed she was incapable of leadership. And that infuriated her more than anything.

Feelings of humiliation brought heat up the back of her neck as she recalled the entire incident. Who did he think he was to judge her, especially when her mission had been flawless? She could only assume that he still saw her as a child. And that made her blood boil. She had grown up so much since the first time they had met. She had been _forced_ to grow up, like it or not. How could he not see that her experience as a Senator, watching her entire planet be destroyed, and helping to lead the Rebellion had aged her far beyond her years?

The dull pain of loss returned to her, but it was much less sharp, much less poignant than it had been a year ago. At the time, she had thought she might never recover, that driving those feelings down where she could pretend they didn't exist would only cause them to fester. But she had come to the conclusion that she possessed far more strength than she had realized. The pain wasn't gone. But, it was manageable. Sometimes, she attributed this to Han, Luke, and Chewie. They were her only true friends on base, even if the Corellian was often exasperating. If she hadn't had them to distract her and keep her company, she might not have recovered to the point she had. She might have descended into loneliness and despair.

Han was, of course, the biggest distraction. No matter what she was doing, she was keenly aware whenever he entered a room. And she always knew exactly what he was doing in that room. He preoccupied her thoughts and she couldn't stand it. Clearly, he was not as absorbed by her presence. Yes, he volunteered for many of the same missions, but he had made it clear that he was out to protect her. And she didn't like it. At moments, she wanted to refuse his presence on her missions, just to prove that she didn't need him watching over her. But that desire was overridden by the desire to be around him.

She could no longer stand the headache pounding at her temples, it was just getting worse. She shuffled to the door controls, slapped them, and left the crew quarters behind. With a haughty stride, she made her way to the galley, hoping not to run into Han, but refusing to allow anyone to observe her discomfort.

She was pleased to discover that the galley was empty. Hopefully, Han and Chewie had both gone to bed for the night. This thought only brought visions of Han lying in his bunk, shirtless, as she had only seen him once before. The sight had caused her to go momentarily speechless at the time. Even now, the memory of it threw her slightly off-kilter for just a breath.

 _Why do I have to be so damnably attracted to that man?_ Her lips pressed together, and she shook her head as she removed a pitcher of water from the cooling unit. _Well, who wouldn't be?_ She sighed and filled a metal cup with water. Even when they first met, when she had initially decided she couldn't stand him, she had been drawn to his masculine good looks, that raw magnetism that he possessed. Leia had overheard many women on base pining for Solo, much to her irritation. She was hyper aware of those comments. And she was always expecting to see Han in some sort of compromising situation with a woman. It surprised her that she had seen no evidence of him being involved with anyone. Although she often saw women stop to talk with him, he never seemed to reciprocate their interest. Unless, of course, he was very good at hiding it. But, why would he bother to keep it a secret?

Cold water flooded between her lips, down her throat, bringing a quick sense of relief.

As much as she shared other women's appreciation of Han Solo's physical attribute, there was so much more to him that enticed her. Other women did not know him the way Leia did, and it gave her a sense of satisfaction. He could be so tender, so caring. He just showed these qualities very sparingly. Had she not known him on Alderaan, it might be impossible to believe. But, the way he had treated her, his actions towards the young orphan boy on Lavistia, had been undeniable. Han Solo was a caring man, even if he strove to project himself as the opposite.

Their reunion after their escape from the Death Star came to mind. Han had been so concerned about her feelings. And again, after the medal ceremony. And it meant so much more to her, knowing that he so rarely wore his emotions on his sleeve.

 _Why am I thinking of this? I'm angry with him!"_

But, she found her feelings of antipathy had already died down. Why could she never stay mad at him?!

Refilling her cup, Leia returned the pitcher to the cooling unit before taking a seat at the counter, still lost in thought. She recalled Han's last night on Alderaan, the night of her parent's gala. She had thrown herself at him, wanting him with her entire body and soul. When he rejected her, she had been devastated and mortified. Now, when she thought about it in a more mature light, she realized that his refusal had been just one more indication that he cared for her. He had wanted her, it had been clear in his gaze, in the way he melted against her for just a moment before gently disengaging. A less honorable man would have given in to a young girl who was hastily willing to give her body to him. She had somehow been able to feel his internal struggle. It had been an effort to move away from her when she was pressed tightly against him, thrusting her mouth to his, heat and oblivion raging hot between them. Yet, he had refrained. Because he cared about her.

Even now, it was clear he cared. But she had yet to see that lust in his eyes that had been so vivid that night. How could she still want him so much and he no longer feel the same? As she released a frustrated sigh, footsteps sounded from the corridor and she looked up to see Han pause in the galley entryway, one foot forward, a look of surprise widening his eyes. They looked at each other for a frozen moment before he finally spoke

"Oh. Hey. I thought you'd gone to sleep." His expression grew quickly sheepish.

Leia straightened, cup clenched in her hand. "No. Or, I couldn't." She glanced down at her cup. "I was thirsty," she finished lamely. The air between them was shrouded with discomfort, heavy and unpleasant, like a blanket of moss.

He shrugged and stepped further into the galley. Leia watched him amble to the cooling unit. She took a sip of water to pretend she wasn't aware of his every move. She heard the sound of the cooling unit open.

"Ya hungry?" he asked.

The thought made her stomach grumble, reminding her that she hadn't eaten all day. "A bit." Sounds of him rustling amidst the contents were loud in the quiet of the evening. She shifted and pulled herself up onto a stool at the counter, turning her seat towards him. He was bent over the cooling unit, backside facing her, and Leia couldn't help but enjoy the view. _Why do I have to find him so damned attractive?_ She sighed internally.

He turned to face her, a small package in each hand. "I really need to replenish my food stores," he muttered to his hands. His eyes found hers and his tone became more audible. "I can give you a Varkan meat patty or a noodle pack?"

Unimpressed with the choices, Leia weighed her options for a moment. "I'll take a noodle pack," she finally replied.

He gave a quick nod and went to the cooling unit. Placing one pack inside, he set it and grabbed two plates from an upper compartment. Leia watched him surreptitiously as he crossed his arms and tapped one foot. When the unit beeped, Han removed the pack and began emptying the contents onto a plate. Somewhat gruffly, he thrust the plate in her direction and she took it primly.

"Thank you." He grunted in return as Leia reached into a small compartment and removed two eating utensils. She climbed onto a stool at the counter, her back to Han at the heating unit. She heard another beep then the open and closing of the unit. In a moment, Han was on the stool beside her. She handed him a utensil, noting his glance of surprise.

"Thanks," he grunted.

"You're welcome."

The noodles were bland, but Leia was too hungry to care. It was amazing what one could become accustomed to. It seemed a lifetime ago that she ate sumptuous meals prepared by Klarina, the chef and head of household affairs in the Organa household. A parallel universe, where she had once been a princess. Had that ever really been her life?

She sat back and watched Han devour his meat patty. The one bridge to her past was sitting right next to her, proving that it had been real, regardless of much things had changed.

"Han?"

"Mm?" He shoved the last piece of the meat patty in his mouth.

"Do you remember back on Alderaan when we had that picnic?"

He looked at her then, swallowing, eyes slightly widened. "Yeah. Yeah, I remember." His gaze turned to the counter top and he brushed away imaginary crumbs. "Might've been the best food I ever had," he said without looking up.

The food had been the last thing on her mind. What she remembered most was her strong desire to make Han see her as a woman, to turn the afternoon into a romantic endeavor. "I miss the lake." She could hear the heaviness in her own voice. A beat passed before Han replied and Leia could feel his eyes on her.

"It was beautiful."

The low timber of his voice captured her, and her gaze met his. There was a seriousness in his eyes that belied some emotion that Leia couldn't place. Was he truly talking about the lake? Or was she imagining a double-meaning that wasn't really there?

For a poignant moment, she could see the lake so clearly, it was as if she were there again; the soft breeze rustling the bright grass around her, the gentle sound of the birds warbling, sun warming her skin. Suddenly overwhelmed, Leia closed her eyes against the agony of nostalgia. It had been some time since she allowed the reality of the utter destruction of home to clutch her so vehemently.

"You okay?" The urgency in his voice surprised her.

She forced her eyes opened, trying for a smile that wouldn't come. "Yes. I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

Her eyes were drawn to the concern in his voice and she could see it in his strained expression. It only added to her melancholy. "Sometimes," she began slowly, shifting her eyes away, "it's still difficult to believe it's real. That it's all just…gone." She took a deep, shaky breath. Before she knew it, his hand was holding hers and suddenly, she felt as if she were sixteen again, pining for this older man.

"You're allowed to be sad," Han said quietly.

A lump rose in her throat, choking her for a moment. She swallowed hard before she could muster a response. "I don't have time for sadness." Her throat was burning, and her voice was barely audible. Struggling against tears, she forced her eyes wide to keep them at bay.

"You've got time right now." His deep voice had lowered to match hers. "No one could blame you for letting yourself grieve."

She felt so heavy, heartache flushed, prickling at her skin. She did not want to lose control in front of Han. "And you're such an expert at dealing with your feelings?" That was better. Focusing on him removed the leaden weight of her emotions.

Han's brow lowered, mouth pulling into a small circle of confusion before his lips pursed together. "We're not talkin' about me," he grunted.

"Of course not," she countered. "You never talk about you." His hand yanked away from hers and she realized her fingers had been tightly clenched around his.

They stared at each other, both disgruntled. This was so much easier than pain. Being angry with him, it was the perfect distraction. He made himself the easiest target.

His eyes slunk away first and it gave Leia a keen feeling of satisfaction. She sat up taller on her stool, almost smiling to herself. Han's fingers brushed at something on his pant-leg and his voice was low and a bit awkward, lower lip jutting outward.

"Your father'd've been proud of you today."

And just like that, tears brimmed at her lashes. _Damn him._ He was probably saying it in an attempt to make up for his nasty attitude earlier, but it was more than Leia could stand. "Shut up." Her voice came out a low, angry whisper and his hand was suddenly surrounding hers again, large and warm beneath the chill that had enveloped her. She blinked quickly, and a tear flushed from each eyelid.

An odd, strangled sigh sounded from deep in Han's throat and he was standing before she knew it, gently pulling her into the warm circle of his embrace.

"Don't," she spewed in a rush, aware of her chin trembling. But he didn't let go, only held her more tightly, seemingly holding together all the broken pieces that she was normally able to secure on her own through the sheer force of her will. Her cheek was against his chest and she could hear his heart thundering against her ear.

"You don't have to be so strong all the time. You're allowed to get upset." His voice was tight and coarse with some emotion that Leia couldn't identify.

She shook her head tiredly as a few more tears spilled down her cheeks. His hold on her intensified until he was squeezing her solidly. It felt so very good. She tried to resist, to tell herself that she needed to remain stoic and focused but being bound in his arms utterly melted her resolve. The battle was lost, and Leia's entire body finally slackened against him and she felt more vulnerable than ever before in her life. A few more tears welled over and she breathed deeply, Han's masculine scent filling her senses, drawing out more feelings than she was prepared to deal with as his hand began rubbing her back in a soothing motion. It began to pacify her, and she was instantly grateful. She gave into the rhythmic strokes and slowly felt the ability to compose herself returning.

Han's embrace began to loosen, as if he sensed her coming back to herself. Leia realized suddenly that he was breathing at the same rate as her, their chests rising and falling in unison and it felt powerfully intimate. The feeling was heady and all-encompassing. They remained steadfast in that position and she couldn't help but wonder what Han was feeling if he was aware of the symbiotic pulse of their bodies in harmony. The moment seemed infinite. She had never been so content in any space or time. It seemed as if she could have remained in that instant forever, all else forgotten; the Rebellion, the Empire, the entire galaxy. It was as if nothing else had ever existed beyond this point in time.

Too quickly, her peaceful reprieve was shattered, and Han's arms were slipping away. It left her feeling bereft, but she sat back, eyes downcast, afraid to meet his gaze for fear that he would see her swift feelings of loss. She reached up and brushed the moisture from her eyes and cheeks, suddenly self-conscious. The last thing she wanted this man to think was that she was weak or might falter.

"I'm okay." Her voice came out stronger than she felt.

"I know."

The certainty in his tone drew her eyes to his. She saw no pity or judgement there and it made her feel slightly better. Their gazes locked and the intensity she saw there sent her momentarily breathless. It almost seemed a mirror of her own fervent feelings. He averted his eyes before she could fully discern what he might be thinking then took a step away from her.

Something clumsy settled between them, destroying the visceral nature of what had felt far too wonderful to be true.

"You did good today," Han mumbled to the floor. His hands moved to his hips, one knee bent slightly forward in an overly casual stance. "Keep up the good work."

He was gone before Leia could respond. She stood, eyes wide with surprise at the suddenness of his departure. What had just happened?

Every time they seemed to grow closer, Han pulled away, moving further into the recesses of his self-imposed isolation. It had happened several times and each one was more disappointing than the last. There was always that feeling of hope, of progress, that they would finally move forward. Then, the disheartening setback once again. Why couldn't she let go of this fantasy that they would fall in love and have a future together? Was she so naïve that she imagined he might feel the same as her?

Leia sat back heavily against the counter, her feelings of loss now doubled.


	9. Chapter 9: Bounties and Breathlessness

Happy Easter to those who celebrate! Happy Passover to those who celebrate! And Happy Sunday to those who don't!

Since the next scene is written, I wanted to update quickly to make up for all the waiting of the last few chapters. And since the majority of you voted for me to write and add scenes as I see fit, I will honor that vote.

To My Two Cents: I appreciate your kind words and your request, which was so eloquently put. I apologize that I can't do as you ask, since the majority voted the other way. For a little while, I will be posting more regularly, since I have quite a few chapters written before i will need to add more and I will try to get the new scenes written as quickly as I am able. Thank you again for all the wonderful, complimentary things you said about my stories, I greatly appreciate them. I do have a finished story to post after this one, so I hope you will hang in with this story and also enjoy the next one. Try not to let the lack of fic, and especially any fics with Han and someone else, get you down. Han and Leia will always be the ultimate Star Wars couple! We know it and that's all that counts :)

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"I heard you ran into some trouble on Andelm II," Luke said to Han.

Leia's eyes flew sharply to the Corellian and she saw him shift uncomfortably.

Seated in the crew lounge of the Millennium Falcon, they shared a tasty meal that Chewbacca had prepared. The Wookiee brayed quietly in response to Luke's comment.

"Yeah," Han replied. "But, you know me. I'm always faster than the other guy." He flashed a smug smile but beneath it, Leia saw his unease.

"What happened?" Luke asked.

Leia was keenly aware of how closely her attention was fixed on Han, even as she affected a casual posture.

"Bounty hunter," he mumbled into his plate.

Her stomach did a nervous flip and she couldn't find her voice. She was thankful that Luke was doing the talking for both of them.

"Why would a bounty hunter go after you?"

"Got a price on my head." He shoveled some food into his mouth.

For several seconds, Leia's mind did not register the meaning of his words. Then she blinked in rapid succession and a veil of unreality settled over her. "What?" She couldn't have heard him correctly.

Han swallowed with a grimace. "I owe some money to a Hutt. He wants to collect."

"Again?!" she asked, mind reeling and numb.

He seemed chagrined. "Yeah. Run of bad luck."

"You gotta pay him back," Luke said.

"Yeah," Han replied, taking a swig of ale. "I was gonna do that then I got side tracked. Used some of the money on the Falcon, though, so now I'm getting the money together again."

Chewie growled at length and, to Leia, everything around her seemed to fade. She could hear faint voices surrounding her, but the jolting shock of Han's revelation drowned out all meaning.

First and foremost, she was scared for his safety. Bounty hunters w]ere ruthless and relentless. She couldn't stand it if something happened to him. The realization pained her, but everyone she loved most was gone, and Han seemed to be the one being she could cling to, despite their differences.

Secondly, her dream of him joining the Alliance was now dead. He would have to repay this debt. And Leia had a feeling that once he left, he would not be coming back. She was surprised he had stayed this long.

"Leia?"

She realized Han had called her name three times already. "Hm?"

"I said, do you want another ale?"

She forced her mind back to the present. "Yes, please." Her voice came out low and tentative.

As Han entered the access corridor, Luke looked at her and Chewie in turn. "Han's been in debt before?"

Chewie roared with a nod of his head and Leia remained silent. It occurred to her that he must have planned to pay off his debt with the reward money he received on Yavin. But, he had come back and never attempted to leave again. The surprising selflessness of his actions at the Battle of Yavin took on even larger proportions and Leia felt her insides quiver.

Han returned with four ales and passed them around. Leia took a long swallow of hers.

"Thirsty, Your Worship?" Han grinned crookedly.

She gave him a weak smile and placed her bottle on the table.

"I heard you're flying escort to the Rogues when we go to Fallinor," Luke said to Han.

Han leaned back. "Yeah, you guys need all the help you can get."

Luke rolled his eyes with a smile.

Chewie roared loudly, and Han shot him a glare.

"What'd he say?" Luke asked.

"He's just reminding me of the last time we went to Fallinor."

Chewie emitted a series of growls.

"What happened?"

Han leaned forward and folded his hands together on the table. "Let's just say, we made it out alive."

The Wookiee shouted a barking laugh.

"I have got to learn to understand Wookiee," Luke said, smiling.

Leia forced herself to return to the conversation. "I'm sure we're missing out on some wonderful insight into Han's past." It irked her that she still knew almost nothing about him, as if he had been born a full-fledged adult who hit the ground running…running from everything and everyone.

"My past isn't that interesting."

"Somehow, I doubt that," Luke said with a laugh.

"I'm going to learn to speak Shyriiwook and find out all your secrets," she threatened with a crooked smile.

Chewbacca laughed again.

"Well, good luck, Sweetheart," he sneered.

Luke leaned towards her conspiratorially. "You know, we could just sit down with Chewie, and Threepio can translate."

Han's frown was almost comical as Chewie leaned back and placed his hands behind his head. He growled promisingly.

"That sounds like a wonderful plan," Leia crowed.

"I'm not worried," Han said good-naturedly. "The best parts happened before I met Chewie."

He always found a way to dampen her enthusiasm.

"How did you two meet?" Luke asked.

"Long story," Han answered too quickly. Chewbacca added a soft growl.

"I know how you met," Leia volunteered quietly. All eyes turned to her.

"No, you don't." Han waved a dismissive hand.

"You met when you were in the Imperial Navy." Her voice was soft, and her eyes locked on his.

His easy smile faded quickly.

"You were in the Imperial Navy?" Luke was awestruck.

Han glowered, eyes dark. "It was a long time ago."

"I can't believe it!"

"You're not the only one," he replied defensively.

"Is that where you learned to fly?"

"I knew how to fly long before I joined the Navy," Han grumbled, taking a long swallow of ale. When his eyes landed on Leia, they were accusatory.

"Tell us about how you met Chewie," Luke pleaded.

Han downed the last of his ale and banged his bottle on the table. "Ask the Princess to tell you." He stood and stormed from the crew lounge.

The remaining beings were startled into silence. Leia felt her face grow warm and finished the last of her ale with a sigh.

###

Sitting in the Captain's chair on the Millennium Falcon, Leia chastised herself for lingering behind after Luke left. Han had seemingly gone to bed. Chewie told her to stay as long as she wanted, and she found herself drawn to the cockpit, the heart of the only place Han called home.

With her knees drawn up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them, she wondered what these feelings were that she had for Han. Were they remnants from her youth, meaningless nostalgia? Or was there more to them than that?

He had popped in and out of her mind over the years. He remained the only man that had ever captured her interest so thoroughly. Her life had always been overflowing with responsibilities, leaving little time for an interest in romance. Han's riveting, masculine presence had taken her completely by surprise when he first swaggered into her life. She had wanted him, in every way possible. Back then, it hadn't even mattered that he was leaving. Now, she felt too fragile to handle another loss. A part of her had been hoping he would decide to stay with the Alliance, that the ever-present spark between them could ignite and blaze to more. Now, she realized that was not possible.

The price on his head…it scared her. She almost felt like crying just thinking about it. That there were hired murderers out there, searching for him, homing in for the kill.

It was too horrible to contemplate. And it was an excellent reason for him to leave. She couldn't understand why he hadn't already.

The center of her thoughts entered the cockpit and they just looked at each other, both surprised.

"You're still here." His voice was tense.

"Astute observation," Leia said mildly. She lowered her legs and started to vacate his chair.

Han gestured for her to remain. "No, it's fine." He sat in Chewbacca's seat and they settled quietly, staring out the viewport at the hangar that was currently devoid of the daytime hustle of Rebellion business.

Leia crossed one leg over the other. "When are you going to pay off your debt?"

"Whenever I have the money."

She nodded soberly. "You need to be very careful, Han."

His head turned in her direction, but she kept her eyes straight ahead. "You worried about me, Princess?" he asked, voice an intense, low rumble.

"Well," she said slowly, "we are friends."

"Are we?"

Her head swiveled, and her eyes found his unwavering gaze. "What else would we be?"

"You tell me."

Their eyes challenged each other, and Leia was the first to look away. The silence returned, and she felt unsettled.

"How did you know I was in the Navy?" he asked suddenly.

A slight smile curved her lips. "I did a holonet search on you and didn't find anything. Then, I searched the Imperial databases and that was what I found." Her smile remained, and she turned to look at him. "I was quite surprised."

"I'm sure," he said dryly.

Watching his grim expression, she wondered why he guarded his past so relentlessly. "What you did for Chewie was so selfless. You risked everything to do what was right."

He snorted. "Yep. Lost everything I had but gained a giant fuzzball who leaves Wookiee fur all over my ship."

Unbidden, her smile spread at the affectionate tone he tried to hide. "Seems like a good trade to me."

His eyebrows rose and fell quickly. He leaned back and placed one foot on the console, knee bent.

"I always knew there was more to you than meets the eye." She couldn't keep her fondness for him from seeping into her tone. "You spend so much time pretending to be something you aren't."

He gave her a sharp look, brow lowered to a point just above his eyes. "I don't pretend to be anything, Your Worship."

"Don't you?" she asked softly, refusing to be intimidated.

"No, I don't." He turned his glare to the viewport, jaw tight.

"Why are you still with the Alliance?"

His eyes returned to her. "Why do you keep asking me that?"

"I keep hoping for the real answer."

"I gave you the real answer. Working for the Alliance is easy and the pay's good. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

His anger gave her pause and she felt her defenses rising. Why did things between them always go so horribly wrong? Her mouth tensed and drew downwards. She knew she should just leave but she was unable to make herself rise.

"I heard the Alliance is scouting for a new base." His voice held a hint of contrition.

"Yes."

"Where they been lookin'?"

"The Outer Rim. Possibly Nimbla IV."

"Nimbla IV? That's a crazy choice."

She shrugged. "That's why it's a viable option."

"Gotta have a quick draw in the jungles down there."

She could feel herself softening against her will. "Good thing I learned to shoot from the best." The memory came back quickly, Han standing behind her, showing her the best way to aim. His heat surrounding her, gripping her hands over the blaster, had flushed warmth through her entire body and left her longing for him to turn her in his arms and place his lips over hers.

Their eyes lingered on each other and Leia wondered if he too was remembering that moment, if it had affected him as profoundly. Four and a half years fell away in a rush and she instantly felt like that teenage girl again.

Han broke the spell. "You sure did." He flashed that smug grin. "You were a quick learner," he allowed.

She smiled, pleased by the rare compliment. Her mind returned to the previous topic. "Why did you do that for Chewie? Why did you risk everything like that?"

He looked away and fiddled with a thread on the seam of his pants. His brow wrinkled. "What they were doing was so wrong. I stood there, trying not to look, and finally, I couldn't take it anymore. Something in me just snapped." He paused, pulled the thread loose, and watched it drop to the floor. "I kinda saw red, didn't think about the consequences." He sighed. "I suppose if I did, I would've done the same thing anyway."

Leia stayed still and silent, afraid that if she acknowledged his opening up to her, his blast door would slam shut again. When he volunteered nothing further, she broke the silence. "Where do you think you would be if you had never saved Chewie?"

His eyes remained hooded, but one side of his mouth crooked into a wry smile. "I suppose I woulda gotten kicked out for somethin' else."

She smiled in return then her expression sobered. "Do you ever think about how things might be if you had made different choices?"

"Nope."

"Never?"

"Never. Do you?"

"All the time."

"What's the point?"

"What do you mean?"

He raised a hand in a half-shrug. "I mean, what's the point of thinkin' about it? You can't go back and change things."

He was right, of course. Very practical viewpoint. "If you could go back to the past and change something, what would it be?"

His head tilted thoughtfully. "I don't think I'd change anything."

"Nothing at all?"

"No."

"There has to be something you would change if you could. No lost loves you wish to return to?" she asked wistfully, a bit too eager for his reply.

He laughed shortly. "Definitely not."

His quick response imbued a joyful relief inside her.

He grinned and gestured towards her with his chin. "What about you? You got anyone you'd go back in time for?"

 _You,_ she thought immediately. Except, he was right here, before her. "There might be someone I think about, every now and again," she confessed quietly, eyes averted. When she looked up, he was staring grimly out the viewport. She sighed internally.

He turned back to her. "So what things do you want to go back and change?"

Thoughts and feelings that were consistently muddled rose to the forefront of her mind. She stared down at her hands and spoke quietly. "I think all the time about my decision to retrieve the Death Star plans. How that decision doomed my entire planet and all those billions of lives." She had never spoken of this aloud before. The thoughts had spent a year and a half secreted in the torment of her mind.

"You can't blame yourself for that," Han said incredulously.

She continued as if he hadn't spoken. "But, it's an impossible situation. If I were able to change it, if I decided not to take on the mission, then most likely, the plans would never have made it to the Alliance. And that would doom the Rebellion and countless others. So, I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't."

"And what's the point of thinking about that?" he asked harshly. He grabbed her hand tightly in his and, for a moment, all other thoughts rushed from Leia's head like the last spurt of a fountain. "Listen, don't do that to yourself. Don't think 'what if.' And more importantly, don't make yourself responsible for what happened. Cause you're not!"

Leia was a bit startled by his impassioned monologue. "But, I am," she said sadly, tightening her grip on Han's hand, holding it like a lifeline. "The only reason Tarkin targeted Alderaan was because I was there."

Leaning closer to her, his face was set in an angry expression that surprised her. "So, it's your fault that Tarkin was a sadistic bastard?"

"Don't be ridiculous. But, you see how it's my fault, don't you?"

"No, I don't," he growled. "You're the one being ridiculous."

"How am I ridiculous?"

"Cause you're taking on blame that doesn't belong to you. You're not responsible for the evil that others do. He used you as a pawn. That's all there was to it."

Outwardly, Leia maintained her calm. Inside, she was trembling. Venting these feelings aloud was overwhelming. And Han's passionate response to her sorrow threatened to be her undoing. She blinked back tears and took a deep breath. She didn't want to break down.

"If I hadn't been there, Alderaan would exist today," she said quietly.

"And as you said, the Rebellion would be gone. And the whole galaxy would be scared into complying with the Emperor's wishes, at any whim he had. Stop doing this to yourself, it's a game you can't win."

Leia stared down at their joined hands and sighed. She suddenly wanted to be in his arms but settled for squeezing his hand to acknowledge his comfort. "I appreciate what you're trying to say."

"You don't need to appreciate it. You need to listen to me."

"Maybe, in time, I will. Right now…it's not so easy."

"You women think too damned much."

"That's a rather sexist comment." She raised an eyebrow.

"It's true."

"Perhaps men just don't think enough," she chided softly.

"What's there to think about? I just do what I gotta do to get through the day." His eyes lowered to their entwined hands and his thumb began to gently caress her knuckles.

A small shiver of excitement skittered through her and her heart rate sped to a gallop. She watched him carefully as his eyes examined the movements of his thumb. When he noticed her scrutiny he abruptly dropped her hand and sat up straighter.

The loss of his touch left her wanting more. She didn't want to feel this way but was powerless to stop it. There were so many reasons this was wrong. So, why did she want it so much? It was disconcerting the way she could fall instantly back into feelings of four and a half years ago. An uncomfortable silence stretched between them.

"Well, I must get to bed," she eventually stated. "It's late." She hoped she could sleep. At the moment, she only wanted to escape the disappointment and discomfort she suddenly felt.

"Yeah, me too."

They stood at the same time and faced each other. Leia yearned to say something meaningful but knew that would most likely be a stupid mistake.

With no preamble, Han reached for her and took her in his arms, her head slipping under his chin, his hand smoothing her hair. It startled her breathless.

"Don't think about 'what ifs' anymore, Sweetheart," his voice vibrated under her cheek.

Just as her breath returned and her mind told her to place her arms around his torso, he released her. She gazed up at him, stupefied.

He headed for the door to the access corridor and Leia followed him dumbly, thoroughly confused by both him and herself. Had she not been so taken aback by his sudden, intimate gesture, perhaps she would still be in his arms, and from there, it might have become more.

 _What if?_

Why did he throw her so completely off balance?

At the hatch, he lowered the boarding ramp and she felt her face burning with too many feelings.

"G'night." It almost felt as if his voice were still reverberating beneath her cheek, echoing inside the hollow of her chest.

"Good night, Han." Her voice fell too softly from her lips. His hazel eyes were dark and unreadable, and his mouth opened as if he were about to say more, but then closed, silent, and Leia turned and headed down the ramp.

She forced herself not to look back at him when she didn't hear the ramp begin to raise. Was he watching her? What was he thinking? Did he ever feel anything akin to the attraction he had almost admitted to all those years ago?

If only she could gather the nerve to confront him about his feelings. Clearly, if he still felt the same, he would have done something about it by now. He was no shy virgin like she was.

She should have hugged him back, should have done something to resolve the questions that haunted her.

 _What if?_

 _What if?_


	10. Chapter 10: Discolsure

Hello again! Trying to be more on top of updates while I can be. These next few chapters are already written. Thank you for all the support, patience, and encouragement! You guys are awesome!

###

Posing as Leia's bodyguard seemed fairly ironic to Han. He spent so much time looking after her, worrying about her safety, both mental and physical, that it was the most logical task he could be assigned. The fact that it was supposed to be a cover for his real assignment provided him with a degree of amusement. Regardless of the assignment directed to him, his primary objective would always be Leia's safety.

The rebel spy from Alderaan, for whom Leia seemed to feel a personal responsibility for, had gone off the grid two weeks ago. Against General Rieekan's wishes, Leia insisted she take on this mission. The General had finally relented, insisting that Han accompany her.

Han wouldn't have it any other way. And he knew he had the necessary skills.

"Let me do the talking. Remember, you are just my bodyguard."

He looked down at the woman walking beside him. His eyes were drawn to the neckline of her white blouse that only showed a hint of cleavage. Her dark hair was arranged in a small twist of a bun above and slightly behind each ear, with a curled tumble hanging down each side. She distracted him to no end.

"I know who I'm supposed to be," he grumbled.

She raised a brow in his direction. "I don't want another mistake like on Pashmir."

He grimaced. "Well, you didn't tell me who that guy was."

"I shouldn't _have_ to tell you. You should just play your role." Her voice held that icy, regal tone that was used to being obeyed.

Entering the building, Han bit back a retort, playing his role. How many times had he come through for her, and for the Rebellion? One mistake and he could never live it down.

Leia approached the giant reception desk, Han standing slightly behind her. She gave her name as Genna Hawks, the agreed upon code name, and they took a seat in the waiting area.

They sat in silence for what felt like a long time, leery of listening devices. Finally, a man strode from the 'lift and headed in their direction. He was about twenty years older than Han, with thinning, gray hair, and was dressed in a very expensive-looking, navy blue suit. They both stood as he approached.

"Ms. Hawks, it is such a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Expecting a handshake, Leia met his outstretched hand. Instead, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, his eyes steady on hers.

Why did men always kiss her hand? It irritated Han to no end. Of course, this man knew of Leia's royal status, even while he played along with her alias.

Leia smiled diplomatically. "Marko Intessia, I presume?"

He held her hand for a moment longer before releasing it. "You presume correctly." He smiled with a glint in his eyes. "Please, join me in my office."

They followed him into the turbolift and Leia gestured towards Han.

"This is my colleague, Malor."

Intessia held a hand out to Han and the two men shook firmly. Arriving at the twelfth floor, they were led to a large, fancy office. Intessia sat behind his wide, metal desk while Han and Leia sat in the two chairs before him.

He folded his hands on top of the desk and smiled at them. "Now, we can speak freely, Your Highness. My office is swept three times a day for recording devices."

Han glanced at Leia and found her expression inscrutable. "I must admit, I was quite surprised when I received word of your interest in the Alliance."

His responding smile was just as unreadable. "There comes a point when we must make the right decision, rather than the expected decision."

Han's innately suspicious nature was sending out a warning klaxon. What was this guy's game? Was he playing both ends? He was obviously not in this for the sake of morality.

"What is this new technology that is said will win the war?" Leia asked, getting right to the point.

Intessia smiled, stood, and began pacing the room as he spoke. "What we have designed is called the Targeting Superlaser. Virtually any large ship can be equipped with this superlaser. It merges several smaller superlasers that can zero in and destroy a single city, without causing damage to surrounding areas. While superlasers are not new technology by any means, this one has a targeting computer that hones in on very specific coordinates to contain the damage to a very specific area."

Han quickly processed this information. This was technology that the Empire would use with reckless abandon. The Rebellion, on the other hand, might never use it at all. If they did, it would be to eliminate the most dangerous Imperial Strongholds. The intel was correct…this could win the war, for whichever side gained the technology.

It didn't take Leia long to respond. "And what is the price of this technology? Surely, you are aware that the Alliance does not have the funds that the Empire possesses."

He stood, hands behind his back, and smiled ingratiatingly at her. "Well, Your Highness, that's what negotiations are for."

###

As Leia unpacked her belongings in one bedroom, Han searched the hostel suite for recording devices and was relieved to find none. He threw himself in a corner chair of the main room, hanging one leg over the armrest.

"All clear," he told her when she joined him in the room.

She folded herself neatly on the sofa that faced him. "Thoughts?"

"I don't know what his angle is, but I don't trust him anymore than I'd trust a hungry gaznor at my throat."

Her lips pursed thoughtfully. "I don't either. And I guarantee he's responsible for Vinteera's disappearance."

Han frowned. "Didn't know the spy was a woman."

"What does that mean?"

He shrugged. "Just that I didn't know. What was her cover?"

Leia grimaced. "She was hired at an entry level position. She got…close to Intessia. She was promoted to a higher-level position after that."

 _Close to…?_ "She slept with that creep?"

Her face colored slightly. "Presumably."

His frown turned to a grimace. "Don't think I could do it."

Her lips curled to a small smile. "Is he not your type?"

He smiled back in spite of himself. "I meant if I were a woman."

Leia's head tilted thoughtfully. "What if Intessia were a woman? Let's say, she looked like Bella Mirren?"

Han recognized the name of the famous, blond holo-actress. He grinned. "Well, when you put it that way…"

Her expression was a mix of knowing and irritated. "That's about what I thought."

Han laughed, lowered his leg, and went to sit beside her on the sofa. "What about you, Your Highnessness? Could you sleep with someone for the cause?"

The previous blush was nothing compared to the red hue that now scattered across her face and neck. She looked at her lap. "I…don't think I could."

He chuckled. "What's the big deal? It's just sex." He paused thoughtfully. "It really only seems like a big deal when it's your first time."

Leia was quiet, eyes still averted. Her expression was suddenly serious and hesitant. She glanced up at him through her lashes then returned to gaze at her hands that were suddenly clenched in her lap. "Five years ago, I wanted you to be my first," she confessed quietly, not looking at him.

His breath left him in a heated rush he could feel throughout his entire body. When it returned, albeit shallowly, his question came out softer than intended. "Who was your first, Princess?" Why he wanted to torture himself with this knowledge, he wasn't sure.

The heat in her cheeks darkened and she smiled shyly but said nothing.

"Don't wanna kiss and tell, Sweetheart?"

"It's not that," she whispered, sparing him the briefest of glances.

He studied her for a moment, heart pounding roughly in his chest. It hit him suddenly. "You're still a virgin, aren't you?" he asked in a wonder-filled voice.

She was positively crimson now, and Han couldn't help but imagine the dark blush spread across her body. A raw ache rushed through him, starting in his chest and flooding mercilessly to his loins.

 _Do you still want it to be me?_ The question he burned to ask died on his lips. His usual cockiness was replaced with self-doubt. So many years later, he was certain her feelings were not the same. If they were, she would have let him know by now.

"So, why? Haven't met the right guy?" he asked, the question sounding far more casual than it felt.

That shy smile again, without meeting his eyes. "I wouldn't put it that way."

He watched her carefully, waiting. When he said nothing further, she finally volunteered, "I suppose there just hasn't been the opportunity."

 _Oh, I could give you the opportunity._ The thought rolled through his mind and he acknowledged that he wanted her more deeply than he ever had before. He had spent so much time denying it, telling himself that the attraction revolved around her beauty and the fact that he had never allowed himself to succumb to the attraction he felt. But, it was more than just that. There was a profound, underlying emotion to it.

Would she give herself to him, as she had offered to do so long ago, on Alderaan? When her age had intervened and deterred him? When he had wanted her, but known that the timing was all wrong?

The underlying feelings had been there then, too, even while he told himself she was too young for him, that she had experienced so little of life. It had been those feelings that had led to the attraction. Once past her regal façade, he had glimpsed a kind, caring soul like he had never encountered before. Her idealism, her desire to cure the galaxy of all evils, had surprisingly moved him. She was refreshingly special. He had known that then and he knew it now.

But, she had been naïve, had not given a thought to what it meant to give herself to him, had not cared that her family would disapprove, that he couldn't stay.

She was an adult now, with the awareness that came with it. She was more enticing than ever, but she must realize now what a poor choice a smuggler with a price on his head would be.

He still had nothing to offer her and, again, he couldn't stay. He had hurt her once…what were her words?

 _'_ _You broke my heart a little when you left.'_

The last thing he wanted was to break it again. And if he made love to her then left, if he made her feel those feelings again and act upon them, it would most likely hurt her in a much more mature, real way, unlike a girlhood crush.

He cleared his throat of its pervading tightness. "We should go somewhere and get dinner."

A glimmer of unease, possibly disappointment, shone in her eyes. Then she smiled tersely and nodded. "I'm going to get changed first."

His eyes followed her as she crossed the room and disappeared into one of the two bedrooms, door sliding shut behind her. He released a deep, pent-up sigh, wishing it was as easy to release the whirlwind of emotions Leia's presence always instilled in him.


	11. Chapter 11: The Night is Young

So sorry about re-posting the last chapter. I don't know how I got so confused. Here is the real chapter 11. Thank you, MariFlora for bringing it to my attention!

###

Meandering through the local festival they had stumbled upon, Han and Leia paused to watch a group of street performers who tumbled to and from each other's shoulders, all the while, twirling bright swirls of colorful lights that seemed to beam from nowhere and everywhere at once. For a few moments, Leia was able to forget who she was and why she was here. She was able to be just another woman being entertained at a festival…with a handsome man at her side.

She glanced up at the half-smile on his face, the lights reflected in those guarded eyes that haunted her. His posture was as crooked as his smile, weight bearing fully on one leg while the other bent, his hand resting on the blaster slung low on his hip.

Had she really admitted her girlish fantasy to him? Had he even cared?

Glancing down, she took in her own appearance. The dress had seemed like a great idea at the time. Now, it seemed silly and obvious.

Dark gray at the top, it had very short sleeves, a high collar, and hugged her body all the way down to just above the knee. The dark gray faded to light gray then white, with a blue and purple Alderaanian Loqa flower blossoming just above the bottom. She had left most of her hair down, billowing around her, with one small braid near each ear.

 _'_ _Ya look nice,'_ Han had grunted shortly.

Disappointed and dismayed by his lack of reaction, she had mumbled something about wanting to blend in.

Han remained the only man she had ever attempted to impress. The first time, on Alderaan, she had at least piqued his interest. She remembered the awestruck look on his face, the tone of his voice when he told her she looked beautiful.

 _Nice?_

She grimaced in disgust. It was time to put this line of thought out of her mind. No more waiting and hoping for something to come of whatever was between them. Clearly, he was not interested, and she needed to move on. Why was that so hard to do?

Forcing her attention back to the performance, Leia watched as the tempo increased and the acrobatics became faster until it built to a crescendo, and finally, everything stopped. The crowd applauded wildly, including Han, and when she looked up at him, he was smiling appreciatively. His genuine, pleased smile was so disarming.

They strolled on casually, the pleasant odors of different foods surrounding and tantalizing them, as they perused the food vendors, contemplating dinner. Han finally settled on a whole resna fish broiled on an open flame and impaled on a stick, which made Leia's lip curl as she looked away. She chose a gorba melt and forced herself not to look at Han as they walked and ate.

The wokaa cheese on the melt was perfectly charred and after the bland-tasting meals served to the Rebels and the rations she often ate on missions, it was a rare treat. She savored every bite. After throwing away the wrapper, she saw that Han was still eating the last bits of his fish. They continued walking, stopping here and there to observe the entertainment.

"Read your future?" A close, female voice asked loudly.

Leia's gaze was drawn to the Tagorian female. Her eyes were lavender and hypnotic, and the long horns on her upper forehead leaned towards her, slowly weaving back and forth. The horns were said to provide Tagorians with empathic abilities.

Han's arm curved protectively around her shoulders in a gesture that implied he saw a potential threat.

She smiled at the Tagorian. "No, thank you."

An arm covered in short, white fur snaked out from her cloak and abruptly gripped Leia's wrist. Han's grasp on her shoulder tightened and she knew instinctively that his other hand had moved to rest on his blaster, ready to defend her as necessary.

This was simply a ploy to sell her services and Leia was unworried. She didn't resist as the Tagorian turned over her hand and sprinkled a pink, glittery substance into her palm. Her horns began to undulate as she examined Leia's palm.

"I see much danger in your future…many perils. But, amidst these risky endeavors, I see love."

Leia pursed her lips and resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Yes," the Tagorian added. "It is him!" She gestured to Han, standing beside her.

Leia blinked in surprise and looked at Han. He was frowning at the soothsayer.

Her white fur rippled, and she smiled at them both. "I see marriage in your future…and yes, you will have a child together."

"Oh, come on," Han finally growled. "That's ridiculous."

A small measure of indignation flared through Leia's belly.

The fortune teller continued, voice lowering. "But, I see darkness…"

Leia snatched her hand back, heart racing for some unknown reason.

"Okay, that's enough of that," Han declared.

The Tagorian smiled at Leia, small fangs just barely visible. "For twenty credits I can tell you much more.

"No, thanks," Han grunted. He grabbed Leia's hand and led her away, tossing his empty stick in a trash receptacle as they went along.

Unnerved, she allowed Han to guide her and glanced down at her palm, where the glitter caught the light and shimmered.

"You don't believe in that nonsense, do you?" he asked sardonically.

"Normally, no."

He dropped her hand and smirked. "Normally? So, what, this you believe?"

"I didn't say that."

A disbelieving breath shot from his mouth.

A streak of defiance inflamed her. "She was right about danger. That's all there is to my life these days."

"Lucky guess."

Her jaw set in petulance. "I didn't say I believe in her. I just said she was right about the danger."

"Yeah. And let's go have some kids," he muttered, shaking his head.

Her gaze turned towards him and a wicked glint tainted her eyes. "Maybe she was right about that, too."

His mouth opened, but before he could scoff, she cut him off.

"But, of course, she was wrong about it being you."

"Damn right," he snorted.

Swallowing her anger, Leia continued. "There are plenty of other viable candidates." She forced a smile in his direction.

"Like who?"

"I would rather not discuss my personal affairs."

Han fell quiet and a sense of satisfaction powered through her. They stopped to watch a musical performance and when she glanced up at him, his mood had clearly soured. His arms were crossed over his chest and his brow was lowered, mouth quirked to one side.

When the performance ended, Han gestured back the way they came. "Let's head back."

A bit disappointed that the night was ending so early, she fell into step beside him without a word.

###

After business hours, Han left Leia alone in the conference room with the board members of Intessia Technology, in the guise of using the fresher. He slipped down the corridor, past the refresher, and removed from his pocket the laser lockpick needed to finesse the lock on the controls to Intessia's office.

Relying on the sixth sense that was the cornerstone of his Corellian luck, he remained alert for any sign of trouble. After a few minutes of fiddling with the controls, the door swooshed open without ceremony. With a smug grin, Han moved stealthily inside.

At the desk, he brought up the computer console buried inside then took the slicer kit from his pocket. He quickly inserted the slicing chip and began scanning the computer for information. Unable to find what he was searching for, Han gave a frustrated growl. Of course, the absence of the information alone was a negative indication.

Once finished, he shut down the computer, replaced it within the desk, carefully swept a glance up and down the hallway then departed the office, locking it behind him. He strolled casually back to the conference room where he had left Leia.

All eyes flitted briefly to him as he moved to the back of the room and took his seat, feigning disinterest. Leia gave no indication of the impatience she was clearly feeling.

The tech expert was still describing the components of the Superlaser then moved on to its capabilities. When he was finished, Intessia repeated the implications of the day before, including his claims that it would win the war.

Han adamantly did not trust the guy. He had that slimy smile Han had seen on too many con artists. At the end of the presentation, Leia begged off from commenting, stating that she needed to contact High Command with the information. Before long, they were taking a lift down to the lobby.

Leia tossed him a speculative look and he shook his head grimly but said nothing. They walked for some time until they came to a park. Strolling down a narrow path lined by long-leaved Chimoa trees, Leia finally spoke up.

"What did you find?" She stood close to him, keeping her voice low in case they were being followed.

"Absolutely nothing," he replied, matching her tone and keeping his expression neutral. "No sign of her under the alias you gave me. In fact, there was no record of anyone even remotely resembling her working there in the past six months."

She sighed tiredly. "That's what I was afraid of." With a slight shake of her head, she seemed to clear her thoughts. "So, what is Intessia's game? Clearly, Vinteera was discovered. Why is he toying with us now?"

"Wish I knew," he mumbled. Louder, he added, "It doesn't make any sense. They discovered a Rebel Spy, got rid of her, and decided to sell technology to the Rebellion?"

"It doesn't."

"How you wanna play this?"

"I'm not sure yet. I do need to contact High Command and update them."

"All right, let's head to the Falcon so you can send a message."


	12. Chapter 12: Happy Hour

Sorry it has taken so long to update, had a long week. Hope it was worth the wait!

###

"What's the verdict, Sweetheart?" Han's voice boomed behind Leia and she swiveled her chair away from the computer console to face him with a grim expression.

She bowed her head and answered in a somber tone. "Unfortunately, we've determined that Vinteera did not survive." It pained her every time there was a loss of life. Being surrounded by death for years did not make it any easier. She returned her eyes to his. "What we need to find out is what she discovered that made her such a threat. And what their intentions are towards the Rebellion." She folded her hands in her lap, feeling the stirrings of a headache coming on as she wracked her brain for the best way to handle this.

Han was silent, hands on hips, thinking. Finally, his head came up with a start.

"You wanna know what really goes on behind the scenes at a company? Talk to the people at the bottom."

Her head tipped to one side, questioning. "And how do we manage that?"

One side of his mouth sprung upwards. "Ever heard of Happy Hour?"

"Getting drinks?"

He smirked. "Guess you wouldn't really know. It's not like you've ever had a real job."

Irked, she opened her mouth with a retort, but he spoke hastily before she could get a word out.

"Don't go gettin' all pissed off," he grunted. "I didn't mean it that way. I just meant, like a job in an office or something."

She raised a brow, unsmiling. "And you have?"

"I've had a few jobs in my time," he answered defensively.

"Like what?"

"That's not important right now. The point is, people who work in those places tend to go out for drinks at Happy Hour, after work."

His line of thinking clicked into place. "I like it. How do we find out where?"

He shrugged. "It's usually some dive close to the job. We'll just go bar hopping."

She nodded, the beginnings of a smile brewing. "Let's do it."

He grinned back, and she stood. As they walked out of the hold, Han spoke casually. "You should wear that dress you had on last night."

She turned startled eyes on him and thought he looked a bit self-conscious.

He gestured towards her with his chin. "You know. To blend in." He strode into the access corridor without looking back.

The smile overtook her countenance. Perhaps he had been impressed after all.

###

A waist-high, circular, blue-topped maze guided the patrons to the round tables that spiraled throughout the maze. It was a bit dizzying at first, but once Leia and Han had navigated to a small table, she felt a bit better oriented.

Han had chosen that particular table after standing at the bar and observing the rowdy bunch seated around the larger table next to it. This was the third bar they had visited, and Han had decided that the group of five Humans, one Durosian, and one Togruta was who they were looking for.

Han had donned a more generic jacket and left his holster and blaster behind. At the moment, he was carrying only the holdout blaster in his boot and the vibroblade sheathed under his arm. Leia was clad in the dress from the night before. After Han's suggestion, she couldn't resist. She wished she didn't crave his attention so much.

A red robo bartender rolled through the maze to their table. "What may I get you?" asked the mechanical voice.

"Corellian ale," Han said shortly, looking at Leia expectantly.

"I'll have the same."

"Very well." The droid rolled away to fetch their drinks.

Han scooted closer to her on the round bench, leaning back to eavesdrop on the other table.

By the time the droid returned with their drinks, the beings in the group behind them had mentioned working at Intessia three times. At each comment, Han had smiled with smug satisfaction. Halfway through his ale, there was a fourth mention of Intessia, and Han turned and spoke casually to the group over his shoulder.

"Hey, you guys work at Intessia Tech?"

All eyes rose to gaze at his open, friendly expression, one Leia had never seen him affect with strangers before.

"Sure do," a male human in his twenties answered.

Han continued to speak in an easy tone. "I interviewed there a few months ago. Never got contacted, though." He sighed with disappointment.

A female human spoke up from beside the male. "Consider yourself lucky." She laughed slightly, and Leia could tell she had been drinking for quite a while before they arrived.

"You don't like it there?" Han asked.

"Eh," the woman replied. "Could be worse, I suppose."

"Seems like they pay pretty good," said Han.

The male Togruta spoke from close behind Han's seat. "That is the only reason we work there." He threw back the last of his drink and his head-tails seemed to shiver.

"Hey," called the first male. "Why don't you come over and join us." He gestured with the wave of a hand.

"Hey, thanks." With a dismissive glance at the maze that was meant as a pathway, Han stood on his seat and stepped over the blue plank separating the two booths. He dropped to his knees and offered Leia his hand.

Leia glanced around, feeling suddenly conspicuous. She handed him her ale with a roll of her eyes, stood and sat on the plank. Taking Han's proffered hand, she spun in one graceful movement and slid into the booth as the beings moved over to make room.

"I'm Jak," Han said, smiling. "This is Talor." He gestured towards Leia.

She smiled. "Hi."

They introduced themselves in one, quick round, but the names did not stick in Leia's mind.

The group began regaling them with stories about the workplace, none of which were relevant. Eventually, Han got to his point.

"Met this woman when I interviewed there, months ago. What was her name? Uhh…Fallen, that was it. She said she'd put in a good word for me. I was hoping that would help me get the job."

Several snickers rounded the table. As they died down, one of the human males responded. "She did have a lot of, ahh… _influence._ " More sneering laughter ensued.

Leia smiled, questioningly. "What does that mean?"

A woman snorted. "It means, when you're sleeping with the boss, you have a little extra…pull."

Leia laughed lightly with the rest of them, even though she was not the least bit amused. She was mildly distracted a moment later when Han placed an arm around her shoulders and shifted closer to her.

"She still work there?" he asked.

"No," answered the first human male. "She kind of just disappeared." He shrugged and looked to his companions, who all had expressions that suggested they never gave much thought as to what had happened to her.

"My guess," said the woman, "Is that old man Intessia got tired of her and fired her from his bed. And from work."

Han shrugged. "She seemed nice." He finished his ale and waved to the serving droid, who began circling towards their table.

"I don't know," said the Togruta. "She wasn't very friendly."

Nods and murmurs of agreement went around the group as the droid arrived at the booth.

Han ordered a round on him and they all thanked him with sincere appreciation.

"Where are you from?" asked one of the women, nodding towards Han and herself.

"My girl and I moved here from Commenor six months ago," Han replied.

 _My girl_ …Leia's stomach somersaulted. How did this man manage to make her feel like a love-sick sixteen-year-old again? She didn't like it.

Questions about Commenor followed and, fortunately, they had both visited the planet and were able to answer them to the group's satisfaction. As the night wore on, Han's arm tightened around her, eventually traveling to catch her around the waist.

He leaned close to her and Leia could feel his warm breath whisper against her ear, sending a thrill staggering through her. "You want another drink, Sweetheart?"

"Sure." She shivered slightly.

"You cold?"

"No, I'm fine."

Han procured them each another ale and just as Leia began a conversation about the Empire with the man seated on the other side of her, she became aware of the woman seated directly across from Han. She was leaning towards him, giving him her full attention, and smiling flirtatiously. Taking a mental deep breath, she turned back to the conversation at hand, trying to ignore the irrational feelings of jealousy that spiked inside her.

She was able to glean that no one was fond of the Empire but felt as if nothing could be done about it. They simply accepted the fact that they worked for a company that held contracts with Imperials.

A shrieking laugh jarred her attention and she looked to her right to see that the woman speaking to Han had reached across to touch his hand, or possibly his arm, and was now withdrawing it. Han's face held his usual, cocky half-grin, giving away nothing.

Trying to ignore the sudden burning in her chest, Leia leaned into Han and placed a hand over the one that sat on the table top.

"Darling," she said loudly, laying her head on his shoulder and snuggling closely. "I'm getting tired. We should go."

Amidst protests from their newfound 'friends,' they slid from the booth and said their good nights with insincere promises to meet them there again soon.

Outside, the night air was slightly cool, and Leia hugged her arms around herself. The low smolder in her chest refused to go away. She realized suddenly that Han had stopped walking and she halted to look back at him.

He was removing his jacket and came forward to drape it over her shoulders. The burning sensation was quickly replaced by an ache that had become familiar to her, and all jealous thoughts vanished.

"You'll be cold," she said softly.

"I'll be fine."

She smiled back, the ache coalescing to a feeling of melting warmth. "Thank you."

He nodded shortly, and they began walking again. Leia forced her mind to business matters.

"So, we have confirmation that Vinteera was there."

"Yeah," he answered grimly. "But, still no idea what Intessia's game is. Whadda you wanna do next?"

Leia was a bit surprised that Han was deferring to her. He had a tendency to take the lead, making her feel as if he still considered her a child. "I'm going to tell them we wish to acquire the technology and ask them how they would like to proceed. Hopefully, their response will give us some insight." She glanced at him surreptitiously for a response.

Han nodded, lip jutting out in consideration. "Seems like the best way to go."

Hiding a pleased smile, she agreed to Han's suggestion that they catch a tram back to the hostel.

Once in the tram, Leia laid her head on his shoulder. Tiredness was a perfect excuse to be close to him. It always seemed as if she needed an excuse. He never pulled away, but he rarely encouraged her. This time, however, he leaned his head down to hers, resting it there. It made Leia smile.

Tilting her head up so that her mouth was close to his, she whispered, "Do you want your jacket back?" If he turned his head and bent it down just a bit, their lips would almost be touching. Her heart began to pound with longing.

His head moved side to side ever-so-slightly. "Nah, keep it."

It would surely be a mistake for anything to happen between them, Leia knew this. She would end up hurt, there was no doubt. So, why did she still want him so damned much? Why did no other man ever attract her?

###

Standing at the comm terminal in the main room, Han watched as Leia hung his jacket in the closet of his bedroom, something he never would have bothered with. He allowed his eyes to roam over her, unobserved.

Had she grown more beautiful in the past two and a half years? In that dress, with her hair down, she was stunning. When she stepped out wearing it for the first time, he had been left speechless. Pretending not to be affected, he had mumbled something and focused way too hard on adjusting his holster.

She was more woman now than ever, the roundness of girlhood having completely fled her visage. She had grown into a competent soldier and leader, and she wore it well. It irked him that she had never been given an official rank. Known still as 'the Princess,' it seemed an insult in some ways; she was so much more.

Her eyes met his before she strode from the room, headed straight towards him. For a moment, he allowed himself to imagine her falling into his arms, how wonderful it would feel, and his heart started to pound that familiar song that seemed to play only for her.

When they stood face-to-face, she favored him with a small smile, hands clasped behind her back. Han forced his eyes from straying to the enticing skin of her shoulders.

"I wonder what would have happened if we had never met on Alderaan," she said wistfully. "You know, if we had no history. Do you think we would be friends? Or…?"

He crossed his arms over his chest, trying to remain focused on her words. "Or what?"

"Or…well, what do you think?"

He thought for a moment. "I think you'd probably hate me."

"Why would I hate you?"

"You hated me at first on Alderaan."

Her expression turned disbelieving. "I didn't hate you."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't. I resented you."

"Same thing," he chided.

"No, it isn't. It had nothing to do with you. I resented the fact that I had to have a bodyguard. But, I never hated you."

"Coulda fooled me," he snorted. At least the conversation had once again grounded him in reality.

"So, what do you think?" she asked eagerly. "If we had met on the Death Star for the first time?"

He allowed one half of his mouth to raise. "I suppose your attitude would've annoyed me just as much as the first time we met."

She rolled her eyes, clearly exasperated. His grin broadened.

He turned the question back on her. "Whadda you think? You think we would've been friends?"

"Yes, we would have been friends, at the very least." The teasing curve of her lips seemed coy.

 _At the very least?_ He almost asked her to clarify, but something in her expression held him back. It would be best not to go down a road that was a dead end. "I suppose since we both hang around Luke, we would have to be friends." He grinned. "Whether we liked it or not."

She nodded but seemed preoccupied. "Han, why do you still think of me as a kid?"

He blinked at the sudden shift in topics then his eyebrows rose. "When did I say I think of you as a kid?"

She raised a knowing eyebrow. "You've never said it. You just make it obvious."

Perplexed, he ran through the events of the day, trying to decide what had put this thought into her head. Coming up empty, he replied, "How do I make it obvious?"

She crossed her arms over her chest. "It's obvious all the time, in the way you treat me, like some little girl who can't take care of herself. Just like you treated me when I _was_ a girl."

Still confused, he shook his head. "That's not how I see you at all."

Hostility began to seep into her tone. "It seems that way to me. As if you're still honoring someone's request to guard their child."

Instinctively, Han knew she did not want to mention her father directly. It was too painful for her. He took a step closer. Her arms were still crossed but he took her by the shoulders and spoke in a softer tone. "Leia, I don't think of you as a child. You're stronger than anyone I've ever known. You walk in a room and take it over. Everything you've managed to do for the Alliance…I knew the second I saw you on the Death Star that you'd grown up." He smiled in memory of her ripping the blast rifle from Luke's hands. "So, no, I don't think of you as a kid. I think of you as a very capable woman who can do pretty much whatever she sets her mind to."

She was staring up at him, eyes wide and luminous. Han felt suddenly self-conscious of all he had said. He dropped his hands from her shoulders and her own fell to her sides.

"Thank you." Her lips barely moved as the words breathed softly from her mouth.

Lost for a response, now, Han was about to say good night, when Leia launched herself into his arms, hugging him tight around the waist. It took him by surprise and for a moment, he simply stood in her embrace. Then, slowly, he placed both arms around her in return. His heart was beating double time and he wondered if she could feel it beneath her cheek.

It hit him then that Leia must see him as a replacement father-figure. Why else would she be so concerned with his view of her as child or adult? She had been very close to her father, Han had seen it first-hand. A bit of dismay wallowed through him at the thought. The last thing he wanted her to see him as was a paternal presence in her life.

But, it made sense. He was a link to her former life. The only others were in the upper echelons of the Alliance, and although these were people she spent a great deal of time with, they did not seem to be her friends. And, he was always protective of her, much like a parent might be. _If she only knew how much I_ don't _view her as a child. Boy, would she be surprised._

"Do you still plan on leaving?" she whispered beneath his chin.

Feelings of obligation that he spent much time pushing from his mind suddenly piled on him. "Eventually." He had made plans to leave many times over, yet here he still was.

She was silent but remained in his embrace.

"We better get some sleep," he finally said. "Gotta be ready for whatever Intessia throws at us tomorrow." He loosened his arms around her.

With a sigh, she moved her body away from his and gazed up at him with pensive eyes. Han couldn't imagine what was going through her mind.

"Good night, Han." She made no move to leave, only kept her steady gaze on his.

"G'night." They stared at each other for a long, somber moment before he turned and headed for bed. He laid for a long time in the darkness, Leia dancing through his thoughts.


	13. Chapter 13: Hardly a Damsel in Distress

This is the short conclusion to Han and Leia's mission. The next chapter will be longer, I promise :)

###

After sending the Millennium Falcon soaring into hyperspace, Han turned to Leia, brow raised in indication that it was time. The tech expert from Intessia Tech was onboard and they were all headed to the Rebel Base on Torridos. The plan was for him to share the presentation for the Superlaser with High Command. But, Han was quite certain that there was quite a bit more to the plan than that.

Leia reached up to the panel beside the co-pilot's chair and engaged the sensor system that would detect tracking devices placed on the freighter. They both watched expectantly as the array of lights lit up in a row then began blinking as it scanned the vessel. Several minutes passed before all the lights stopped, with the exception of one red one that now blinked steadily, sending a low alarm through the cockpit.

"Knew it!" Han growled.

Leia's lips pressed firmly together, and she reached up to shut off the sensor. She turned to Han. "I'm sure they didn't think a ship this small would have a Tracking Detector."

"Everyone always underestimates the Falcon." He allowed himself a smug half-smile. "That's what's called camouflage, Sweetheart."

She rolled her eyes at him. "That's what's called 'you're lucky this thing even flies'," she drawled. "We have to find out where he placed the tracking device."

He took note of the insult to his ship but moved on. "Don't worry, Your Highnessness, we will. My blaster will get it out of him." He stood and pulled it from the holster. "Intesssia's not as smart as he thinks he is."

Palming open the hatch, he entered the access corridor, Leia trailing behind him. Feeling fairly confident, he strode through the main corridor, but once inside the crew lounge, he was stunned by a harsh voice.

"Don't move, Solo. I've got a blaster in your Princess' back."

Han froze, a jolt slamming him in the chest.

"Drop that blaster and kick it over here," the man who had been introduced as Chylo said.

Dread fluttering through him, Han let the blaster fall from his hand, turned to face his attacker, and kicked the weapon towards him. He looked at Leia. Her arms were raised over her head and he assumed the same posture. Her expression was hard and angry, and he wondered if it was aimed at him or Chylo.

The man smirked. "You may have expected the tracking device, but you didn't give a thought to the listening device."

Too late now, Han realized that their conversation in the cockpit had not been private.

"Whadda ya want?" Han asked gruffly.

He flashed them a sly grin. "We're going to proceed to the base."

Leia spoke up before Han could process the words. "That's what you were after all along," she snarled. "The location of our base."

"Smart girl. And you're my insurance that the Captain here won't do anything stupid."

For the briefest of moments, Han's vision went dark with anger. It roiled and burned in his chest before he pushed it aside to concentrate on getting them out of this. How had he let this guy get the drop on him?

"Now, Solo, you're going to find me something to tie you two up with. And if you try anything, I'm going to blast the Princess here in the head." He moved his blaster up to Leia's temple.

Leia's expression never changed, while Han felt his heart lurch wildly in his chest. The sight of the blaster at her head sent a raw determination through him. If he could somehow get to the blaster in his boot…

"All right," he said aloud. "No need for anyone to get hurt. I've got some rope in the cargo bay." He let his eyes linger on Leia. "Sorry about this, Your Worship," he said meaningfully.

Acknowledgement lit her eyes and he could tell she was ready. Neither knew what he was going to do, but Han knew she would be ready when the time came.

"Let's go!" Chylo motioned Han forward with a jerk of his head.

Han turned, arms still raised, and walked slowly through the corridor, mind searching for a way out of this mess. Getting Leia to safety was his primary goal. Everything else was incidental.

In the cargo bay, he turned to face Leia and Chylo.

"Where's the rope, Solo?"

He gestured with a nod of his head. "Bottom right storage compartment."

Readjusting the blaster to Leia's back, Chylo turned her in front of him so he could reach the compartment. Han's heart rate increased slightly as he zeroed his full attention on every move Chylo made, ready for any opportunity to pounce.

Both men underestimated the Princess. Chylo bent to open the storage compartment, blaster still trained on Leia's back, and as his balance shifted, Leia spun in a quick move, one hand flashing down to knock the blaster from his hand.

With the lightning-fast reflexes he was known for, Han leaped forward as Leia ducked out of the way. Chylo was caught completely off guard and Han delivered a quick punch to the jaw.

 _That's for putting a gun to Leia's head!_ he thought with a glow of satisfaction.

"I've got him," Leia called from behind Han.

Han looked up and saw that she had Chylo's blaster in both hands, aiming steadily. He grinned. "Nice job, Sweetheart." He quickly grabbed his own blaster from where Chylo had tucked it into his belt behind his back.

Chylo's hands went up, his expression one of profound disappointment. Han almost laughed out loud. "Up!" he ordered.

The man got to his feet, both blasters trained on him. Leia moved to stand beside Han.

"We make a great team."

He could hear the smile in her voice.


	14. Chapter 14: Green Eyed

I know the wait has been long between chapters, so I am posting this short one now, as a bonus. Hope you like it!

###

Leia was speaking in a friendly manner to the man who had procured the cache of weapons for the Alliance. As he and Chewie loaded the last of the crates onto the Falcon, Han heard the man offer an invitation.

"You and your comrades should join us for dinner before you go, Princess."

He glanced up to see the younger man leaning casually against the wall, his attention riveted on Leia. Her head was tipped up to look him in the eye and Han suddenly wondered how she knew this guy. With a last, hesitant look back, he placed the final crate on the cargo lift and sent it up for Chewie to move into the hold. He didn't hear Leia's response, but he hoped it was negative.

Han made his way to where Leia and the man stood and crossed his arms over his chest, feet firmly entrenched on the ground.

He was about Han's height, several years younger, with chiseled features and light brown hair. He spared Han a brief glance then returned his attention to Leia.

"Well, maybe next time, Princess. I'd love to sit down and talk about the Rebellion."

 _Yeah, I bet you would,_ Han thought caustically.

"That sounds great," she replied easily.

Han's voice interrupted a bit loudly. "Ship's loaded. Whenever you're ready."

Leia nodded distractedly. "Thank you, Adir. The Alliance thanks you." She leaned forward and gave him a hug.

Was it Han's imagination, or was he intentionally holding onto her a bit longer than necessary? He forced himself to contain his impassive affect as the two broke apart. Han remained silent as they said their good byes and when they strode up the Falcon's ramp, he glanced back to find Adir's eyes still on her. A small, smug smile tugged at his lips when Leia ascended the ramp without looking back.

He raised the ramp, sealed the hatch and went to the cargo hold to make sure everything was properly loaded.

"Great," he commented to Chewie as the Wookiee stacked the last of the crates.

He growled in response.

"I know you've got it under control."

The barked question caused Han to glower.

"It's gonna have to be soon." He sighed. "I've let it go too long." Had it really been almost three years since he had hooked up with the Rebellion? How had time whizzed past him so quickly.

Ever since the old friend he ran into at the Abregado-Rae Spaceport told him just how high the price on his head had become, Han had dismally acknowledged that he would have to leave. Chewie had never rushed him, had always encouraged him to stay. Now, even he was eager to take care of the debt before the debt took care of them.

Han's deep sigh elicited a questioning bellow from his friend.

"I don't feel ready to leave," he admitted in a rare moment of candor.

The Wookiee grumbled softly.

Han sucked on the inside of his cheek while deciding on his answer. "Yeah. And don't say 'I told you so.'"

Chewbacca let out a long chortle and Han shot him a dirty look.

"It's not like anything could ever come of it."

His friend reminded him that he wasted three years without finding out.

"I already know the answer."

Chewie disagreed.

"Doesn't much matter now," Han sneered before pivoting on his heel and marching from the cargo hold. It was time to ready for lift-off and there was no point in discussing hopeless desires. He stalked to the cockpit, mood dark.

As he started the warm-up sequence, the door swooshed open behind him. A glance back saw it was Leia. A small whirlpool of emotions bubbled inside him and he turned back to the controls. Leia dropped herself in the co-pilot's chair. She was smiling.

"You're in a good mood," he observed grimly.

"Why wouldn't I be? The weapons diverted from the Empire will help the Rebellion greatly."

The top panel behind Han whined to life, soft lights glowing. "Where do ya know that guy from, anyway?"

"Adir?" Her eyebrows rose innocently. "He's been helping the Alliance for years now."

"Doesn't wanna join the Rebellion?" he asked casually, the flash of jealousy still simmering darkly.

"No. I guess you and he have something in common." Her voice held a biting edge.

He allowed his eyes to momentarily glance her way and noted that her smile had disappeared. "He couldn't take his eyes off you." He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

"What?" she asked sharply.

Warmth rushed up the back of his neck and he silently cursed his impetuous mouth. "He's got a thing for you."

"Why would you say that?"

He pretended to examine a readout in front of him. "Cause I know what it looks like when a man wants a woman."

She was silent, and Han stole a glance to find her sitting tensely, jaw tight. "Why do you care?" she finally asked.

His defenses rose, and he turned a baffled expression to her. "I don't," he declared hotly.

She glared at him, eyes cold. "Then why did you bring it up."

He was stumped for a second, struggling for a response. "Just makin' an observation," he grumbled.

They lapsed into brooding silence. Why she was annoyed, Han couldn't fathom. He also couldn't fathom why he had even said anything.

Chewie entered the cockpit and Leia quickly vacated his chair to sit behind Han in the navigator's seat. The Wookiee whuffled his appreciation but Leia said nothing. By his long look at each of them, Han could tell he had noticed the tension.

As Han readied the controls for lift-off, Leia spoke from behind him.

"Are you jealous?"

His hands froze over the controls and Chewie sputtered a laugh. He spun towards her, gaping. "No, I'm not jealous! Are you crazy?"

She stood abruptly, and her light footsteps pounded from the cockpit.

Hating himself, Han became aware of Chewbacca staring at him.

"What?" he bit out.

When his friend told him he was an idiot, he couldn't begin to argue.


	15. Chapter 15: The Big Chill

Thank you for sticking with his story! :)

###

Somehow, Han had unofficially become Leia's personal pilot. They had never spoken of it, but, unless he was otherwise engaged, he was automatically assigned to fly her to whatever destination she required. He was never sure if she requested him or if it was someone else's doing. But, he was not complaining.

As he gave the underbelly of the Falcon a cursory once-over, he caught a glimpse of a small form approaching. He looked up to see Leia walking towards him, a travelpak slung over one shoulder. A quiver of excitement rushed through his stomach, a sensation that never failed to surprise him at the sight of her. Outwardly, he remained composed.

"You're early," he drawled, one hand remaining on a valve above his head.

"I'm always early."

His expression remained neutral as he lowered his hand and quickly grabbed the strap of her travelpak. She slid it from her shoulder and allowed the full weight of it to fall into Han's hand. He caught it easily.

"Thank you," she acknowledged with a small smile. They stared at each other for a moment longer than necessary.

"Go on up," he finally said. "I'll be right there."

She nodded and quickly pivoted towards the ramp. Han watched her until she was out of sight, unable to help himself. His eyes were always drawn to her, at times involuntarily. She seemed oblivious to his scrutiny. He hoisted the pak onto his shoulder, turned back to the valve and wrenched it shut.

Something had settled between them, a sort of peaceful amiability. It had been sometime since they had last argued. It brought him back to his days on Alderaan when their initial friction had subsided and given way to something resembling friendship. Before it had grown into something more that only complicated things and caused fresh matters of contention.

This new development had both good and bad points. On the one hand, it was nice to have an easy flow between them. On the other, it brought them closer and that only led him to contemplate what clearly could never be. The tables had turned. On Alderaan, it had become clear that her feelings towards him were romantic in nature. Now, it was Han who was pining for the Princess. A deep sigh flew past his lips. He would give just about anything to have her nudge her way into his arms as she once had; for her to boldly press her lips to his, offering herself to him. That one forbidden kiss still haunted him.

She obviously didn't have those feelings towards him anymore. Had they been there when they first reunited on the Death Star? It had almost seemed so, yet he hadn't been sure. If he had acted on his impulses back then, perhaps things would be different now. But, they had settled too deeply into friendship now. If he let her know how he really felt, it would surely change things between them. He couldn't bear the thought of being rejected by Leia.

Traveling up the ramp, he dropped Leia's travelpak in the main hold before making his way to the cockpit. From his co-pilot's seat, Chewbacca growled an interrogative.

"Yeah, bring 'er up, Chewie."

The engines rumbled to life with a strained whine that made Han glance at his Wookiee friend. The latter roared reassurance.

"Hope so," Han muttered, lips pursing to one side. That didn't sound good. But, they didn't have time to rip everything apart again. "She'll hold together," he told himself under his breath. _She has to._

Chewie reminded him that it was a short journey to Hoth.

"Yeah," Han agreed, slipping into his seat at the helm of his ship. "And there's not much to do while we wait for Her Highness to tour the place." He was not looking forward to their eventual occupation of the icy planet. It seemed a pretty miserable location.

His Co-pilot barked agreement.

Han checked the readings and felt satisfied. "Punch it."

Without a growl, the Wookiee maneuvered the freighter up and away from the hangar of Home One. Just as they moved through the exit, light footsteps fell into place behind him. He heard Leia take a seat in the navigator's chair, but she said nothing.

"Not really looking forward to this trip," he commented, just to say something.

"Of course not." Her voice held a smirk.

He glanced at her over his shoulder as the quirk of her lips lowered to a neutral expression. "And you're excited about the sub-zero temperatures?" He turned back to the viewport as Chewie guided them further from the Alliance's flagship.

"Well, no."

Han entered Hoth's coordinates into the navicomputer then spun his chair to face the Princess, gazing at her expectantly. She appeared small in the large chair, delicate and beautiful.

"But it's our best bet," she finally finished.

He rolled his eyes and turned back to the controls as Chewbacca grumbled at him. "Our best bet for freezin' to death." He pulled back the lever on the hyperdrive and watched as the stars elongated then blurred. Satisfied, he spun to face her again. Her legs were crossed with her hands folded primly over one knee.

"There has to be a price to pay for safety."

Chewie grumbled his intentions as he rose from his seat and fled the cockpit. Leia watched him pass then returned her attention to Han.

"We could hardly hide on Cana Major." Her lips curled upwards in amusement.

Han suppressed a smile. "Maybe not," he retorted. "But it'd be a lot more fun in one of their resorts. A lot warmer too."

Her brow rose in a playful manner. "Most definitely."

"What's the first thing you'd do if we went there right now?" he asked with a light-hearted grin.

She frowned. "You're not thinking of reprogramming the navicomputer, are you?"

He only smiled wider, tempted to bait her. But it was best not to interrupt the peace that had taken so long to forge between them. "No, Your Highnessness, don't worry. This is strictly hypothetical."

The sternness left her eyes and a slight light entered them as one corner of her lips curled upwards. The look of mischievousness sent a hard jolt through him, making it difficult to breathe.

"I suppose… _hypothetically_ …if we were there, I might get a decent meal."

Han leaned back in his chair, enjoying playing this game with her. "Oh yeah, that sounds good. I'd get a big nerf steak with extra spicy sauce."

Leia smiled, seeming to relax into the idea.

"What about you?" he asked easily. "What would you order?"

Her eyes roved over the ceiling. "Oh, I don't know…"

She bit her lip, sending another burst of longing through him. He could feel the heat suffuse his face and neck. With a deep breath, he tried to distract himself. "If you could have anything, what would it be? Anything in the galaxy." He knew what he would like to have.

The humor left her expression and she looked suddenly vulnerable. "I suppose if I could have anything, I would choose gorak roasted in malla petals."

Han's own mood dimmed considerably as he recognized Leia's favorite Alderannian meal. Before he could reply, she spoke dismissively.

"But, that would be impossible. They don't exist anymore." Her eyes dropped to her fingers as they whittled away at each other.

If there was anything he could not bear, it was Leia's sadness. "After dinner, I'd take you gambling," he declared, trying to sound as cheerful as possible.

"I don't think so." She eyed him with mild disdain.

"C'mon, Sweetheart." He leaned forward, placed one hand on her arm, and flashed his most charming smile. "Could be fun." He winked. Had her cheeks just turned a bit pink? Or was he imagining that effect?

"I don't see the fun in throwing money down the mining shaft."

"Trust me, Sweetheart, I wouldn't lose." He realized he was still holding her arm and sat back, hands dropping into his lap. "And after I won a fortune, we could dance the night away. They have the best nightclubs."

The gleam of amusement had returned to her eye. "If I remember correctly, you don't enjoy dancing."

"Well, I don't really like it. But, if you indulge me in gambling, I'll take you dancing." In a moment, he realized that it sounded as if he were inviting her on a date.

"Well," she replied lightly. "I'll take you up on that because I would love to see you dance again." She paused. "What will we do afterwards?"

The question was unexpected, and it took him a moment before he could answer. His thoughts faltered in one direction, then the other. He finally settled on the bolder response. "Afterwards, we could go for a walk on the beach." The words sounded more serious than intended, his voice low and tentative.

Leia's eyes widened slightly. "At night?"

"Yeah." Self-conscious now, he forced his tone to sound matter-of-fact. "Beach is real nice at night. You ever seen it in the dark?"

"Only at a distance." Something indefinable flickered in her eyes.

For a moment, he pictured exactly that. The two of them, together at one of the many beaches of Major Cana, after dark. He had never been one for romance but visualizing the rush of the waves and the moonlight casting shadows on the curves of Leia's beautiful face stirred some deep emotion inside him.

It was a ridiculous fantasy, one that could never happen. And he really was going to have to deal with his debt to Jabba. There was no time or place for these thoughts. He had essentially given up all hope that there could be more between them than friendship.

So, why was it so hard to just be friends? And although he knew he couldn't possibly remain with the Alliance much longer, it was also difficult to imagine leaving. He turned back to his ship's controls.

"And what would we do after?" Leia asked his back.

Feeling foolish now, he shrugged the topic off. "Guess we'd call it a night." He made a show of rechecking coordinates. What had he been thinking? He realized that he hadn't. It had been a spontaneous reverie. One best not toyed with.

Her voice intruded on his musings. "I hope you brought something warm to wear."

"Yeah," he replied distractedly, perusing the readings on his scope just to look busy.

"Luke wanted to come with us. He's never seen snow."

He gave a sardonic laugh, heart not really in it. "Yeah, well, soon he'll wish he still hadn't."

"Maybe he'll like it."

He could tell she was grinning at the thought. "A kid who grew up in the desert? Doubt it."

"Maybe you'll like it too." There was something tentative in her tone.

"Not likely. Can't think of a thing I'd like less." He paused thoughtfully. "Except maybe goin' back to Tatooine to see Jabba." He rechecked the coordinates, knowing they were correct.

She was silent for the longest and Han began to wonder if she had left more quietly than he could detect.

"I guess you will have to do that eventually." There was no inflection in her voice.

He nodded, regretting bringing up this particular topic. He hated to think about it, much less talk about it.

"When do you think that will be?"

With a steely expression, he returned to look at her. "Tryin' to get rid of me, Princess?"

She smiled slightly. "No. I've grown rather fond of having you around."

He turned his chair casually, hiding the way his lips crooked slightly upwards. "Well, you know," he replied casually. "I'm gonna have to go sooner or later." He busied himself by turning some dials that altered nothing.

She was quiet behind him and Han wondered what she might be thinking.

"Should probably do it sooner," he added. "I can't hold off this debt forever." _Ask me to stay,_ he begged silently. _Give me a good reason to stay._

After a long pause, she finally spoke. "It's a shame you have that hanging over your head. You're a great asset to the Rebellion. You would make a wonderful officer."

His heart sunk. Of course, she was not about to give him the reason to stay that he was hoping for. But, did it have to be about the Rebellion? Swallowing resentment, he spoke in an offhand tone.

"That's not for me. Plus, it has to be soon. I'll probably leave after the base is all set up." How had he gotten to this? His intention hadn't been to bring this business up. "Gotta take care of this before Jabba's thugs catch up to me." Why was he still talking?

"That's too bad." Her voice was tense, the most hostile he had heard it in quite a while. "It's a critical time for the Alliance."

Han's jaw went taut. "You know this was never my fight."

"That's right." The iciness of her tone chilled him. "It's just convenient."

"Exactly."

Before he knew it, the door to the cockpit sprung open then slid shut with a whoosh of finality.

Feeling foolish, his shoulders slumped, and he twisted to look at the empty seat behind him. A sigh of frustration huffed from his nose. Was she angry? Upset? He wasn't sure how to interpret her reaction. But clearly, the Alliance was first and foremost on her mind. As always. Han wasn't sure whom he was more irritated with, Leia or himself.

Leia was glad that Han had chosen to remain on the ship. He hadn't even come out of the cockpit before she disembarked. And she didn't feel like waiting for him. Chewbacca had seen her off at the ramp, declaring that he did not intend to expose himself to frigid temperatures if he didn't have to.

Clad in a slightly baggy thermal suit and jacket, she had shoved her two long braids beneath a cap, the attached goggles unnecessary inside the relative warmth of the base. If it was this cold inside, she didn't want to imagine the temperature outside.

Striding through the underground corridors blasted out of ice and snow, Leia forced herself to focus her mind on the business at hand. Major Derlin was informing her of all that was being created around them, and the progress that had been made since her initial visit was considerable. But, it wasn't fast enough.

"Your work here is commendable, Major," Leia began.

"Thank you, Your Highness." He puffed up with pride.

"When I return to Command, I am going to recommend an additional crew to help speed up construction."

"That would be most helpful. My men are working around the chrono. And we still remain behind schedule."

"We need to get this base up and running. I guarantee that my report will convince Command to send you additional support. You have my word."

The Major smiled and bowed slightly at the waist. "Thank you, Your Highness."

They turned back in the direction they had come from and began the long trek back to the hangar.


	16. Chapter 16: Conclusions

Only 2 more posts! Hope you enjoy what's left!

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When she turned away from Major Derlin, Leia was pleased to see that Han was waiting for her beside the Falcon's ramp. As she approached, she appraised his ensemble and frowned.

"Aren't you freezing?" she called as she neared him.

He shoved his hands in his pocket. "Yeah. This was all I had."

She had a strong urge to place her arms around him and warm him up. Instead, she chastised him. "You should have requested a uniform from Command."

"I hate uniforms." His tone held a slight sneer. "Besides, I'da ended up wearing something like that." He nodded towards her attire. "No, thank you."

"It's better than freezing." She held back a smile, enjoying their easy banter.

"Not from where I'm standing."

Now, she did smile, shaking her head back and forth and rolling her eyes. He had an answer for everything. "Come on, Hotshot. Let's get inside before you turn blue."

As they ascended the ramp, she resisted the urge to loop her arm through his. He always managed to lift her mood, intentionally or not. Her earlier irritation was forgotten.

The warmth of the ship was greatly welcome, and Leia removed her gloves as they wound their way through the access corridor. Han was rubbing his hands together for warmth. She held her gloves out to him.

"Here, put these on."

One eyebrow rose as he stared down at the small, white gloves. "You think those tiny things are gonna fit on my hands?"

Her eyes returned to the gloves she still held towards him. She realized the futility of the gesture and shoved them in her pockets, smiling. "I guess not."

"I'm gonna go take a hot shower and warm up before take-off." He gave her a cursory nod and lumbered in the direction of the 'fresher.

Leia was left with an image of Han standing beneath the spray of hot water, skin warm and wet. She shook her head brusquely, trying to banish the enticing thought. It lingered, and she forcibly shoved it from her thoughts.

Making her way to the crew quarters, she thought back to his words in the cockpit. It was probably all talk. The stubborn man had been on the verge of leaving for almost three years now, yet he was still here, making no effort to go. She thrust those thoughts aside to concentrate on the present.

Inside the crew quarters, she removed the snow gear and began changing into her regular uniform. Two braids spilled down her back and she decided against pinning them back up again. Once dressed, she headed to the galley, intent on the comforting warmth of some kaffe.

Chewbacca was there, warming up some food in the heating unit. He barked a short greeting.

"Hi, Chewie."

He offered to make her a plate.

"No, thank you. I just came for some kaffe. I need something to warm me up." She squeezed past Chewie's furry form and set the kaffe maker. While it heated the water, she turned back as the Wookiee plunked down on a stool with his plate. He growled a question.

"The crew has made good progress, but it's not close to finished yet," she replied.

He swallowed a huge mouthful of food and huffed that he would be pleased if it was never finished.

She smiled with the raise of her brow and turned to retrieve her mug. Grabbing the sweetener, she dropped a small amount in her cup. "Han seems to share your feelings." She sipped the steaming liquid, warmth flaring through her insides.

Chewie growled agreement and continued eating.

Leia gazed at him thoughtfully. "How do you adjust to different climates? It's very hot where you come from on Kashyyyk, right?"

He grunted acknowledgement with a nod and a shrug. The Wookiees adjusted as every lifeform did when travelling to a new planet. And they weren't naked of fur and as vulnerable as humans in their natural state.

She had to smile at that. "That's a good point."

He barked another, terse question.

Her lips pressed together in thought. "Maybe six months. If we're lucky."

He grunted acknowledgment as his fork disappeared into his mouth.

"I'm going to recommend sending more resources to speed things along." She eyed him playfully. "Would you like to volunteer?"

He swallowed his food and offered her what she now recognized as the Wookiee version of a smirk. He yapped a clearly negative response that caused Leia to chuckle.

"Don't worry Chewie. I won't volunteer you." She arched one eyebrow. "Han, on the other hand, might find himself geared up for the snow if he's not careful."

He woofed brief laughter and continued eating.

Han's words came back to haunt her, and Leia turned her next question over in her mind before asking it. "Has…has he mentioned when you're leaving to pay back Jabba?" Her gaze perused the floor, afraid to meet his eyes and allow him to see just how much the question cost her. When there was nothing but silence, she finally forced herself to look at him.

The Wookiee was gazing at her, a question in his eyes. He finally barked that Han had said nothing to him. After a pause, he asked why she had posed the question.

There was something about those piercing, blue eyes that often made her wonder if he could see right through her façade and clearly read her feelings for Han. She glanced away for just a moment, realizing that her reaction only further indicated her unease and concern.

"I was just curious." She forced herself to look him in the eye and smile.

He continued to stare at her for a long moment, then surprised her by saying that Han cared about her more than she knew.

Startled, she felt her eyes widen. She realized that she must have misinterpreted his meaning and relaxed. "Yes, I know. He's always cared about me, even if he doesn't come out and say it." It had been clear on Alderaan. She felt it even more strongly now. Han would be there for her, would protect her and never allow harm to come to her.

Chewie's grunt was negative, and he began growling a string of words, one of which eluded her comprehension.

Leia frowned to herself. "Han is what?"

He repeated himself and her brow wrinkled as she struggled to understand. There were so many subtle nuances to Shyriiwook, it sometimes amazed her that she was able to converse with him at all. But, there was a lot of vocabulary that she still lacked.

He growled the same word several more times, obviously frustrated. Suddenly his eyes were on the doorway behind her and he stood up to his full height.

Han was there, bare-chested, hair damp, a towel around his neck. Leia's heart leapt at the sight of his naked skin. Mouth dry, she tore her eyes to his. He was scowling.

"Han," she choked out. "Chewie's trying to tell me something that I can't seem to understand." At this point, she didn't care, but she needed a distraction.

He yanked the towel from his neck and clutched it in one hand, dark eyes on his furry friend. "I dunno," he said testily. "Chewie, I thought you said you like eating your meals in your cabin?" His voice was pointed, eyes stormy.

Leia glanced at Chewie to find him nodding tersely. Before a word could be said, his long legs had carried him from the galley. She turned narrowed eyes to Han.

"What is your problem?" she asked harshly, forgetting all about the spark of his appearance.

"No problem," he grunted in a flat tone.

"No problem?" She crossed her arms over her chest. "You practically threw Chewie out of the galley."

"Ah, the big lug'll be just fine." He turned to go.

"Wait," she called.

He pivoted back in her direction, still scowling. "What?"

"What was Chewie telling me?"

His jaw jutted to the side momentarily. "I dunno. I wasn't listening."

Leia suspected that they both knew he was lying. She wondered petulantly why he was being so secretive. "So that wasn't the reason you sent him away?"

"Course not," he huffed.

Her lips pursed together in frustration. She would never understand this man. She watched as he began to turn away then quickly swung back to face her. An expression of discomfort passed across his features.

"Oh, um…" His gaze fell to the floor. "I've been thinkin' about things."

Leia watched him, clueless as to what he might be getting at.

"And I'm thinkin'…" His lower lip thrust outwards and he nodded to himself. "When we get back to the Fleet…" His eyes found hers, dark and serious. "I'm headin' out."

She blinked for a long moment, mind puzzled over his words. Meaning coalesced and her stomach lurched to her toes. She swallowed hard. "You're…leaving?" It was an absurd question. Of course, he was leaving. He always had been.

Regret seemed to be etched deeply into his features as he stared back at her, unsmiling. "Yeah. I'm gonna go pay back Jabba. Just wanted to let you know." In a flash, he was out of view.

Jaw slack, she remained unmoving. For three years, she had lived in fear of this moment. Somehow, a part of her thought it would never come. But, here it was. And Leia was unprepared for it.

The lump in her throat had grown in size and it seemed as if her heart had turned to stone, hard and heavy with emotion. What if she asked him not to go?

She dismissed the idea immediately. What could she possibly say?

 _I'm in love with you._

She certainly couldn't say that, no matter how true. How might he respond? With a pat on the head and a chuck under her chin?

 _That's cute, Princess._

Another reminder of how young she was; that he would always see her as a child. _No thank you._ Her internal voice was sullen. And she doubted he would stay for her anyway.

It was a hopeless situation. Han would leave and perhaps that was the best thing for her. If he wasn't there, reminding her of how much she still wanted him, maybe she could finally get over him. In the meantime, his loss would be a brutal blow. She would have to pour everything she had into establishing the base on Hoth. There would be little else for her.


	17. Chapter 17: A Little TLC

Second to last post! Enjoy!

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The blinding, hot spark flared and burned, and Han let loose a howl of pain, falling back to the floor with a loud thump. For a panicked moment, he thought his face was on fire, but he quickly realized he had just been burned. Heavy, lumbering footsteps couldn't arrive fast enough and Han just groaned in pain, thankful the goggles had protected his eyes. He raised his head at the sound of Chewie's roars of concern mixed with Leia urgently calling his name. He could see nothing through the blackened goggles.

"Han! Are you okay? Are you okay?"

Gingerly, he removed the goggles, wincing at the bright flash of pain. "Yeah," he answered sheepishly. "The godsdamn power cell exploded."

Leia was sitting on the floor beside him, examining the burns on his face, concern etched deeply in her frown. Chewie was hunched over, his expression worried.

"I'm fine," he grumbled. He began to rise, and Chewie caught him under the arm and helped him to his feet. "It's not like this has never happened to me before. That's why I always wear the goggles."

"You need to put something on those burns," Leia said urgently.

"Yeah, I will."

"Now!" she practically shouted. "Come on, I'm taking you to the med bay."

"Yes, ma'am!" he said jauntily, but when he smiled, the skin of his face went taut with pain and he winced again.

Leia led him to the med bay, holding onto his arm and guiding him as if he were blind. He allowed it, a little too thrown off-balance to argue. Once inside, she motioned for him to sit on the med bunk and became all business. He pulled himself up to sit as she retrieved the antiseptic wash.

"How bad do I look?" he asked, curious.

She gazed at him and tipped her head from side to side. "I wouldn't recommend asking a woman out on a date anytime soon."

The grin automatically shot up one side of his mouth, but it hurt, and he lowered it. "So, what are you saying? We're not going out tonight?" He was joking…mostly.

She rolled her eyes as she moved to stand before him, bottle in one hand, applicator in the other. He realized her hands were shaking and all humor was forgotten. He grabbed her wrists with gentle hands, concern flooding him.

"Hey, are you okay?"

She dropped her gaze to the bunk and flushed pink. "I'm fine."

He still held her wrists. "Then why are your hands shaking?"

In a smooth motion, she forced her wrists free. "I guess I had a good scare," she admitted quietly, removing the top from the bottle of antiseptic.

"Cause of me?" The automatic raise of his eyebrows brought a fresh bout of pain. He forced his face still.

She applied some of the wash to the applicator and busied herself with examining his burns. "Yes. I heard the explosion…" Very gently, Leia dabbed at his burns. "And I heard you scream." The color in her cheeks darkened and she met his eyes. "I was afraid you were hurt very badly."

Their gazes lingered together, fixed and serious. Something in Han's chest burned more painfully than his face. Then she returned her attention to the applicator and tended to his burns in silence.

He stared straight ahead, hyper-aware of her nearness as she stood between his legs, her face intimately close to his. Her hands had regained their steadiness and she finished her task efficiently. It stung but Han had been through far worse.

She threw away the applicator and left him to grab the bacta gel from the cabinet. He watched her, touched by how affected she had been over his injuries. It had surprised him. She always remained so strong.

Leia returned to him, holding the tube of bacta gel, her expression one of sheer concentration. Her full lips were pinched and the urge to kiss away her tension flooded him, maddening in its intensity.

"Does it hurt very much?" she asked in a voice filled with compassion, as she began to dab the gel across his face.

"I've been through worse." His eyes grazed the fullness of her lips, the curve of her chin, the slope of her neck. Gods, he would give anything to possess her.

He realized, with a sudden flash, that he couldn't leave. He couldn't leave _her._ It was that simple. He _couldn't._

With that realization came the self-admission that he would gladly let the debt linger, just to be with her. Just to be near her.

A deep vulnerability swept through him. He couldn't deny it anymore. He loved her. For better or worse, he loved her.

"There." She stepped back, surveying his injuries. "It should feel better soon."

She returned the gel and the antiseptic to the cabinet then went to the sink and washed her hands.

"Should I bother looking in the reflector?"

A responding smile trickled up one side of her face. "I wouldn't recommend it." She dried her hands on a disposable towel and threw it in the receptacle.

"Not my usual gorgeous self?"

"It's not your best look."

"Burned and greasy's not a turn-on?"

"Well," she said, deadpan. "I guess it depends on what you're into."

For a moment, he was taken aback by the joke then he laughed out loud. The bacta was already working, the movement of his face did not sting as badly.

Smiling slightly, she came to stand between his legs again and examined his face. He caught her hand in his, gaining her suddenly serious attention.

"Thank you," he said sincerely.

Her eyes peered into his, seeming to search him for something. "You're welcome," she said quietly.

He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back. For a moment, he was greatly tempted to pull her closer, willing to risk all. But, before he could act, she relinquished his hand and turned to the counter, where she began organizing the supplies.

Had she sensed his intentions? Did she turn away to avoid them, or had she not even realized? He had informed her that he was leaving just a few days ago. Since then, there had been a coldness between them. This had been the first time she appeared to thaw a bit.

With a sigh of disappointment, he left the med bay, his heart heavy with confusion and longing.


	18. Chapter 18: Should I Stay or Should I Go

The final chapter! Those who read my Ord Mantell fic (Mission Misfire) might remember the following circumstances, altered as an AU. You don't have to be familiar with that fic to understand this ending, but if you are, realize that what happens after this story concludes is exactly the same, which leads into ESB with the same general circumstances, leaving only Han and Leia's relationship altered.

Thank you to all my wonderful readers, you guys are the best! I have deeply appreciated every fave, follow, and review! :) On the Ord Mantell...

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Leia made her way to the cockpit, Han winding through her mind more than usual. She knew she should be thinking about their mission to Ord Mantell; she should be reading the file on her datapad. But, she felt as if she had reached a point of no return. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep her feelings to herself.

Han and Chewie talked about their imminent departure every day, comments made here and there that tore her heart open. This was to be their last mission together. She didn't think she could take him leaving without finally telling him how she felt.

But, if she told him, only to receive a a placating smile, as if this were still just some girlish crush, she would be devastated. She hoped fervently that she could work up the nerve while they were on Ord Mantell.

She was in love with him. It was undeniable. She loved everything about him. His unflagging loyalty, his courage, his swagger…both his caring and his devilish sides.

She couldn't tell him _that._ But, she could tell him that she wanted him. The question was, how?

It no longer mattered that he was leaving. She couldn't let him walk out of her life as if they meant so little to each other.

The cockpit door slid open and Han looked up from his seat, flashing her a quick, disarming smile.

"Hey. Sit down." He inclined his head towards the co-pilot's chair. "I wanna talk to you."

Normally, those words set her on edge. But, Han seemed in such good spirits that she shrugged it off and sat down. She spun her seat to face him and crossed one leg over the other.

Suddenly hesitant, he lowered his eyes, staring in the vicinity of her knees. "I, uh…" He returned his gaze to hers and took a breath. "I've decided to stay."

Her brow lowered in a moment of confusion before understanding dawned and she felt her insides soar to the stars. "You're not leaving?" she asked breathlessly.

His reluctance fled, and he grinned. It almost looked as if he flushed with pleasure. But, Leia decided it had to be a trick of the light.

"I'm going to stay on with the Rebellion."

Unable to contain her delight, she launched herself at him and threw her arms around him, clasping him tightly.

"Whoa!" Han laughed before returning her embrace.

She lingered in his arms, closing her eyes. She was so thankful. This was the best news she had received in so very long. Allowing her hands to roam across the muscles of his back, she didn't want to let go. When she finally did, she returned to her seat and was unable to wipe the beaming smile from her face.

"I'm so happy to hear that, Han."

His grin was almost as wide as hers. "Yeah, well, I couldn't leave you and Luke to fend for yourselves."

Normally, comments like that irritated her. This time, she was too elated to care. For the first time in three years, she didn't have to worry about when he would pick up and leave.

And just like that, one of their obstacles had whispered away to nothing. Perhaps this was fate, telling her that this was the right time to reveal her true feelings?

She was nervous and scared, as she always had been. If he didn't return her feelings, she would be crushed. But, she had to know if there was something more between them than friendship. She had waited so long, she couldn't wait any longer.

Now, she just needed to find the right moment. All the pent-up longing and desire whirled inside her at the thought, making her somewhat dizzy. He was still smiling at her and Leia thought that maybe, just maybe, she saw something in his eyes that gave her hope.

###

It felt as if they were on a date. Han wished it were so, but their mission to Ord Mantell was no different from any other. Still, he didn't want their evening together to end.

Departing the Sweet Spot, Han headed in the opposite direction from which they came.

"Where are we going?" Leia asked from beside him.

"Someplace nice." Eventually, they left the bars and storefronts behind and all was quiet and abandoned as they made their way along the waterfront with only the moonlight brightening their path.

He led them down a long dock to a stretch of beach. Han jumped down to the sand below then held out a hand to Leia. With a smile, she sat down on the edge of the dock and surprised him by holding out both hands. He stepped forward, grabbed her around the waist and as he gently lowered her to the sand, his breath caught at the way her dark eyes captivated him.

They were standing close together, his hands still on her waist, hers on his shoulders. Gods, she was so tempting. With an internal sigh, he dropped his hands and stepped away, motioning her to follow him to the edge of the water. He dropped to the sandy floor and Leia joined him.

"It's beautiful here," she said quietly.

He could feel her eyes on him and wondered what she was thinking. Could she tell the way she affected him? Did she have any inkling about his feelings?

"Yeah," he replied. "You'd never expect this on Ord Mantell." The tide was very low, and the soft breeze blew his hair back. He closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle night air and the faint sound of the water lapping the shore.

"Why did you decide to stay?" she asked suddenly.

He opened his eyes and glanced at her. Her features were soft, eyes large, lips parted expectantly. Those lips…he longed to kiss them, had been longing for more years than seemed possible.

"I figure I've stayed this long. Why leave now?"

She said nothing, and from the corner of his eye, he saw her turn her gaze to the water. She scooted closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. It sent a rush of pleasure through him that was agonizing in its familiarity.

"I would miss you if you left," she said quietly.

He was surprised by the effect her words had on him. His heart seemed to do a little dance somewhere deep in his chest. She would miss him…these were not words he had ever taken seriously before. Nor was this a sentiment he had ever returned. He forced the words from his mouth and they came out hoarse, from the back of his throat. "I'd miss you too, Leia."

She lifted her head from his shoulder and Han could see she was looking at him.

"You were my first kiss, you know," she whispered.

His eyes were on hers before he realized it. Something softened inside him and he felt suddenly vulnerable. "I know."

She hesitated, glancing down at her hand as it moved to rest on his arm. She lightly traced the seam along the sleeve of his jacket and opened her mouth but said nothing. Han felt a shift in the air between them. It thickened and intensified.

Her hand froze, and her eyes rose to his. She moved her face closer, her voice a whisper of a breath. "I haven't had a second kiss yet."

Han forgot to breathe as her eyes drifted to his lips and there was no mistaking the yearning there. He took a breath and wondered suddenly how long it had been there and how he hadn't noticed.

Her eyes flicked back to his and they lingered together, neither one moving. Slowly, Han bent his head and lowered his face to hers, keeping their gazes locked, wanting to be certain that what he saw was really there. She met him halfway and when he brushed his lips against hers, she placed a hand behind his head and held him firmly in place, as if afraid he might suddenly disappear.

The softness of her lips erased all other sensations and Han felt a sense of completion he never knew possible. They kissed slowly, his tongue gently lapping her lips, until years of unreleased desire overwhelmed him, and he clutched her face in his hands, deepening the kiss with a tinge of desperation. His tongue found hers and her soft moan of pleasure claimed him completely.

Breathless, he gently pulled them both down to the sand. Mouths clinging, retreating, he buried his tongue to dance with hers. He could barely believe this was happening, it felt like a dream.

Her hands clutched him tightly, running over his shoulders, arms, back. His mouth finally relinquished hers and he let his tongue drift along her jaw, down to the smooth skin of her throat, sucking gently. A startled gasp escaped her, inflaming him, making every part of him ache.

Head lolling back, her breath was hot and erotic. His hands glided sensuously down her back, her buttocks, her leg, and he felt her wind her leg around his hip, inciting a deep groan from him. He pressed himself, hard and burning, against her hips, overwhelmed with feelings of both lust and tenderness.

Rolling from his side, he drew himself on top of her and stopped to just look at her, one hand stroking a few stray tendrils of hair from her forehead. She stared back at him, unflinchingly, and what Han saw there both enticed and frightened him. He felt lost, swept away by a crashing wave of emotions. But, somehow, he also felt found, as if he had spent a lifetime drifting, searching for a port to call home. And suddenly, there it was, had been there all along, waiting for him to recognize it.

"Han," she whispered in a steady, confident voice. "I love you. I've loved you for years."

He almost drowned in her words. They thundered around him, the most beautiful storm, buffeting him violently with the emotions they elicited. He had no words to counter them with, so he kissed her gently, eyes clenched tightly.

She sounded suddenly vulnerable. "Do you remember when I told you that, when I was sixteen, I wanted you to be my first?"

Remember? He could still hear her voice saying the words. He nodded gravely.

Her voice was barely audible, a breath against his lips. "I still want that."

He studied her face, his eyes roving over the deepness of her eyes, the fullness of her lips, the soft blush painting her cheeks. He searched for a trace of doubt but found none.

"Leia…you're sure you want this?"

Her smile was full of tenderness and love. "I've been sure for a long time."

Wrapped up in feelings he couldn't begin to sort through, he stared back solemnly before lowering his mouth to capture hers again. He felt oddly hesitant, but Leia sat up slightly and pulled her arms from the jacket she wore then yanked her shirt over her head, and all reluctance fled him.

The breath flew from him and he leaned down and pressed his mouth into the cleft between the breasts still cupped inside her bra. For a moment, he didn't move, reveling in the sensation of the soft caress of her breasts enveloping his face. When he came back to himself, he let his tongue stroke that spot then drag, ever-so-slowly, along the rim of her bra. She exhaled sharply and his desire for her blazed. He repeated the motion against her other breast and reached around to unclasp the bra then tossed it onto the sand.

Her breasts were full and beautiful, and he took one in his hand and allowed his mouth to meander across and down until his tongue flicked at her nipple. She cried out then moaned low in her throat when he alternated between licking and sucking, moving to the other breast and driving her to a frenzy of excitement.

He pulled back and removed his own jacket and shirt and when he looked at her, she was gazing up at him, eyes filled with wonder. He placed his open shirt beside her on the sand, grabbed her jacket and shirt and spread those to overlap his, hoping to keep the sand from getting in places they would later regret.

He nudged her onto the garments and she complied with a small smile. In a quick motion, she slid off her boots and pants, then tugged gently at his, a small smile lighting her features. He grinned in response and pushed off both his boots and pants.

When he lowered his body to hers, they both gasped with pleasure. He kissed her fervently, eventually lowering himself to burn his tongue slowly along the contours of her body, his fingers brushing her sides, thighs, the sweet place between them. She writhed beneath his touch and never before had Han so wanted to give someone pleasure.

His tongue trailed down her stomach, skimming past her navel, descending lower.

"I want to taste you," he growled, before letting his tongue brush against the most sensitive part of her.

"Han…" she moaned, and then she had no more words. "Ohh…" Her hips quivered beneath his hands as he allowed his tongue to explore with painstaking slowness. She emitted small, shocked gasps that escalated to long, deep moans that threatened his considerable will power.

When he twirled his tongue, Leia cried out and he quickly found a rhythm that caused her to respond with a cadence all her own; he reached up to stroke one nipple as his tongue drove her higher. Her hips began to jerk wildly, she grabbed his hair with both hands, and then she was throbbing in his mouth, her entire body going rigid for a long moment as a strangled cry escaped her. He moved his tongue faster and finally thrust her over the edge. With a long, loud cry, her body shuddered and quaked, and he felt the sudden rush of her wetness against his lips. He groaned and felt himself grow impossibly harder.

She collapsed, and Han remained where he was for a moment, just breathing in the exhilarating scent of her. Then, he moved up to gaze at her and thought he saw a shimmer of tears in her eyes.

"Are you okay?"

She smiled weakly and her voice was breathless. "Okay?" Her smile widened. "I'm fabulous." She pulled him down and kissed him deeply. When she broke the kiss, her eyes allured him. "I want you inside me, Han."

The last vestiges of control fled him, and he kissed her again, positioning himself at her entrance. His body was aflame with the need to bury himself deep inside her, but he forced himself to take it slowly. One hand grazed the tip of a breast as he slowly allowed her upturned hips to take the tip of him inside her. He growled with the effort of restraint as he heard Leia's soft exhalation of pleasure.

Gods, she was intensely hot and tight, and he reminded himself to slow down, to resist the impulse to plunge forward. He slid haltingly deeper and the feeling of her pulsing around him almost sent him over the edge. He stopped and breathed heavily, and then her hands were on his buttocks, urging him deeper and he was consumed with need. He sunk deeper into the slick heat of her and she let out a sharp cry as he felt the narrowness surrounding him resist then give way to take him more fully inside. She grunted in what sounded like pain and he froze to look at her.

Her face was contorted, whether with pain or pleasure, he wasn't sure. Before he could voice his concern, Leia tightened her grip on him and whispered desperately.

"Han, don't stop. I want this with you…I want you…"

He kissed her roughly, passion reigniting instantly. He pushed himself more deeply inside her, crying out with the sheer ecstasy of being sheathed so tightly within this woman he had wanted for so long. He moved slowly at first, until her soft moans of pleasure returned to taunt him over the edge. His thrusts built to a frenzy and when she tilted her hips up to meet his urgency, he began to lose control, and suddenly she was moving her hips in the same rhythm and with a sharp cry, she began to shudder around him, tensing with sudden release. With a loud, guttural groan, he pounded into her and her hips bucked wildly; she tightened around him, and he throbbed in answer, the most intense rush of ecstasy gushing through him as he streamed inside her, seemingly endless and exquisitely hot.

Collapsing on top of her, he felt he might never catch his breath. Her hands smoothed along the sweat on his back, the most delicious caress. He rolled to his side, clutching her to lie facing him, legs intertwined as he slipped from inside her. He kissed her between harsh breaths and realized she was as out of breath as he was.

"Han…" she whispered against his lips.

He pulled his face back to look at her. The naked emotion he saw there overwhelmed him. She loved him…he had wanted her for so long, and all this time, she had shared his feelings. He could hardly believe it.

"Leia…" he began, trying to gather the words he had never said before. She deserved those words. Fear bundled inside him, the vulnerability threatening the walls he so relentlessly guarded. He opened his mouth, hesitated then forced himself to follow through; for her. Gently lowering his forehead to hers, he closed his eyes. "I love you, Leia." His voice was a throaty whisper, tight with emotion. He remained frozen, barely breathing.

When he finally opened his eyes, he found hers brimming with tears, a joyful smile at her trembling lips.

"I love you," she whispered, before pressing her mouth to his. "I love you, I love you."

The smile that overtook him was bright and heartfelt. Now, he had a real reason to stay. To hell with Jabba, to hell with the price on his head. He couldn't leave now.

END


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